Whole Food Living - Winter 2020

WINTER VOL 1 • ISSUE 2

Understanding

CVD risk

PLANT BASED

RECIPES Calcium

confusion

Type 2

diabetes and where it leads

Remarkable IBS recovery COLD PARENTING

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Where we stand THE WHOLE FOOD CONNECTION

Food

Health

Environment

It all starts with our most basic, primal desire. Even before our need for shelter or our desire to procreate, food comes first. The recipes for the food we talk about in Whole Food Living are all based on solid scientific research and clinical experience gathered over the last 50 years.

Our health, good or bad, is the result of the food choices we make. There are genetic and environmental conditions that can affect our good health but for most of us, our health will be determined by what we put on our plates. For this magazine, food and optimal health is the primary focus.

The third and final factor in the whole food connection is environment.

Why? Because the condition of our environment is affected by our food choices. Understanding the connection between food, health and the environment is key to developing a sustainable world.

WFL Optimal Health Guide

Whole Food Plant Based The WFL Optimal Health Guide is a simplified, visual explanation of different eating styles.

Our policy is to assist and encourage plant-based eating and to explain the significant health benefits available to those that become fully whole food plant-based.

WFPB eating is comprised of foods drawn solely from the first four categories of the table.

Strictly speaking, sugar, oil and salt are off the menu for people who are fully WFPB based, especially those who have experienced serious medical events.

We place sugar, oil and salt along with highly processed foods in the Avoid category as a warning because, unless you prepare everything you eat at home yourself, you are unlikely to achieve a perfect score.

In your quest towards better eating, don't let perfect become the enemy of good.

WFL MEDICAL DISCLAIMER The medical and/or nutritional information covered in Whole Food Living magazine is for educational purposes only.

It is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Please seek medical advice before using diet to treat disease.

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EDITORIAL CONSULTANTS Critical contents of this magazine, particularly articles that cover medical issues, are referred to our editorial consultants.

Our consultants are: * Dr Mark Craig * Dr Caitlin Randles * Dr Martyn Williamson

Editorial

Things are certainly heating up A

s an editor, it’s not often when you put a publication to bed that you suddenly wish for at least another two pages to fill, but that’s what happened to me on August 4, 2020. Suddenly the news was full of the three key issues this publication is all about: food, health, and environment.

Food, some might say, is a personal journey. Or ‘surely what I eat is my business’ - isn’t it? That might be so if not for the fact that we all pay a substantial and shared public price for what goes down our gullets.

The cost of it was counted in a submission by the New Zealand Heart Foundation that day to the Government.

It noted that 10,000 New Zealanders die from cardiovascular disease each year with Maori, Pacifica and low-income families most at risk.

The Foundation identified “an urgent need for a national action plan” for heart health and called for cross-party support for Government to develop one.

Including hypertension, almost one million Kiwis live with cardiovascular disease. It is the leading cause of death and disability in New Zealand.

The paper calls for improved public awareness of good nutrition and identifies the need to work with communities on actions for healthy eating, physical activity and achieving healthy weight. Overall, it seeks direct intervention on setting up healthier lives from childhood, reduce smoking, create

a healthier food system and generally, to empower healthier living.

As a publication dedicated to these sentiments, all we can say is, let’s get on with it!

Also, and as an aside, we think it worth pointing out that a paper published by Johnathon Drew, a doctor in training at Otago University, claimed that a whole plant foods diet could bring global warming emissions savings of up to 42 per cent. Spread over the lifetime of the current New Zealand population, this would confer health gains of up to 1.5 million quality-adjusted life-years gained and a health care system saving of up to $20 billion.

Also, on the same day, a new report claimed New Zealand was now at “extreme risk” of climate change impact.

It said this would affect not only our population but also our environment,

infrastructure, and economy. It gave the Government two years to develop a national action plan.

Climate researcher Professor James Renwick is keeping his fingers crossed that it would happen in three to five years.

“Sea levels have already risen 20 centimetres. The climate has been changing here in New Zealand for decades. Droughts are already more common in some parts of the country.

We are starting to see the effects already, and they will get worse as the climate warms. It’s imperative that we take action as soon as we can to reduce emissions,” he told TV One’s Breakfast programme.

By a twist of coincidence, Melbourne researchers, Ebru Kirezci and Ian Young were talking along similar lines only the previous day. More on that in our next issue.

There is so much evidence coming out on the impact of food, health and the environment but will our Governments listen?

It seems logical to us that they should and when you consider they were forced to listen to evidence over the management of Covid-19 then we also have to ask, why wouldn’t they?

Along with the climate, this debate is certainly about to heat up, and so much of it turns on what we eat.

For politicians though, it rests on a change of heart.

Cover Design

Viewpoints

Producers

NicButterworthDesign

Whole Food Living (ISSN 2624-4101 - Print.

ISSN 2703-4313 - Digital, is subject to copyright in its entirety. The views expressed in this publication are those of the contributors and not necessarily those of Iclay Media.

No responsibility will be accepted for unsolicited material. No liability is accepted by Iclay Media, the publisher, nor the authors for information contained in this magazine.

Every effort is made to ensure the accuracy and veracity of all content in this publication but neither Whole Food Living nor its publisher Iclay Media is responsible for damage or harm of whatever description resulting from persons using any advice, consuming any product or using any services in Whole Food Living's print, electronic publication or website.

www. facebook.com/nicbutterworthdesign

Peter Barclay, Editor

Contact us 67 Kayes Road, Pukekohe, Auckland, New Zealand 2120 p. (Peter) +64 27 218 5948 e. editor@wholefoodliving.life w. www.wholefoodliving.life

Editor: Peter Barclay e. peter@wholefoodliving.life

Food Editor: Catherine Barclay e. catherine@wholefoodliving.life Printer: Inkwise, Christchurch Distributors: NZ Post & Iclay Media Contributions & Assistance Contributions & assistance is gratefully acknowledged from the following people: Nic Butterworth, Stephanie Wynn, Dr Mark Craig, Dr Martyn Williamn, Dr Caitlin Randles, Robyn Chuter, Liz Williamson, Deb Plowman, Nicole O'Neill, Anna Toby, Gerald Haslinger, Dr Shireen Kaasam, Dr Malcolm MacKay, Jenny Cameron.

wholefoodliving.life | Winter, 2020

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CONTENTS 18 14 10

General Features 10. Peter and the rhino How one man fixed his health, saved the animals and became vegan.

16. Dr Michael Klapper On viral finger prints and laying out a welcome mat for Covid-19.

22. Downunder difference Deb Plowman outlines WFPB living. She doesn't do bland.

28. Food & digestion You would think there would be an obvious link.

30. Business focus Looking into the origins & makings of a WFPB business.

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34. WFPB success Anna Toby outlines her path to a new way of life. Her strict effort paid.

37. Gerald Haslinger A moving account of loss and silver linings following the bush fires earlier this year.

38. Type 2 diabetes Its dangerous health outcomes reviewed in study.

41. Cold parenting What is it and how can it shorten the length of your life?

48. The calcium myth How marketing confounds our thinking and can make us sick.

54. Health & wellness Stephanie Wynn takes a look at the bigger picture and provides some useful steps.

63. Auckland Plant Pod Dr Craig's dream comes true.

It's off and running every month in Auckland central.

References Many of the articles published in this magazine refer to scientific studies. To see these click on the QR code or go to the url below.

Click or scan QR image for references.

wholefoodliving.life/references-winter-2020/

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The inside goss On The China Study: "I started reading the book, and I went vegan overnight. It was then I realised that, wow, we really have had the wool pulled over our eyes." Peter Eastwood.

"This virus sprays out through your lungs like a snowstorm.

Food absolutely has a part to play here," Dr Michael Klapper.

22 33 Recipes 15. Italian Meatballs Crammed with flavour and air fried to perfection. Great on a winter night.

20. French toast Yes. It's possible.Takes only 20 mins to prepare this breakfast treat.

24. Kale & Pepper Bites An inventive treat from Deb Plowman. Packs a punch.

32. Vegetable casserole Hearty and packed with loads of delicious vegetables.

33. Roasted Mushroom Simple but a really side dish for bigger meals.

36. Stuffed kumara delight Our front page feature dish.

Great range of colours, tastes.

A real family filler.

43. Cheesy Sauce A wonderful smooth textured delight. Make a macaroni & cheese dish.

47. Vegetable Pad Thai A restaurant quality dish.

Impress your friends.

53. Oil free chocolate cake You don't need oil to keep a cake moist. Discover how.

59. Calcium included A brief look at some of the most calcium inclusive foods.

"I can't eat bland food. I just love tasty food. If you are going to do it, it has to taste good. That was my drive to make things as tasty as possible," Deb Plowman.

"It’s not about being plantbased and miserable and living for two years longer, not entirely happy with life. This is about being plant-based, enjoying your health and really, really making the most of your time," Dr Martyn Williamson.

"So, this Sydney GP we saw was a lifesaver. I didn’t know it at the time but after we detoxed successfully, what he was prescribing for us was pretty much a whole food plant-based (WFPB) approach to our eating," Gerald Haslinger.

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WFPB ADVOCATES INTERNATIONAL

Dr Scott Stoll

Dr Michael Klaper

Dr Kim A. Williams

Dr Shireen Kassam

A former Olympian and now is co-founder and chairman of The Plantrician Project and Regenerative Health Institute amounst numerous other organisations.

Gifted speaker on plantbased nutrition. Teaches other health care professions on the importance of nutrition in clinical practice and integrative medicine

An American cardiologist and currently head of a Chicago medical centre. Vocal on the benefits of plant-based nutrition to cardiovascular health.

Founder and director of Plant Based Health Professionals UK. An honorary senior lecturer at King's College Hospital London. Passionate about plant-based nutrition.

Dr Michael Greger

Dr Colin T Campbell

Dr Alan Goldhamer

Dr Caldwell Esselstyn

Founder of NutritionalFacts. org a significant resource in both videos and researched writings on the benefits of eating Whole Food Plantbased.

A biochemist and author of The China Study. He coined the term Whole Food PlantBased, at age 86 he is still regularly speaking at plant based events.

A chiropractor and founder of the TrueNorth Health Centre based in California.

Co-author of best selling book, The Pleasure Trap. An expert in fasting for health.

Author of Prevent & Reverse Heart Disease. Former Olympic athlete now directs the Cleveland Clinic Wellness Institute. He, his wife and family are all strong plantbased advocates.

Dr Neal Barnard

Dr John McDougall

Dr Alan Desmond

Dr Dean Ornish

Founder of Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine and a very active member of the WFPB Community.

Dedicated to helping people transition to a WFPB Diet.

Runs 10 day retreats for people making the transition to a plant-based diet.

Leads a Gastroenterology clinic in Torbay, South Devon UK. Advises plant-based dietary treatment for many chronic digestive disorders.

Founder of the nonprofit Preventive Medicine Research institute, California.

Creator of the Ornish program for Reversing Heart disease.

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WFPB ADVOCATES Australasia

Dr Mark Craig A lifestyle medicine and General Practitioner in Mt Albert, Auckland, NZ. Founder of TrueSouth Medical and founding member of EBE.NZ

Dr Heleen RoexHaitjema A Paediatrician and Co-.

Founder and chairman of Doctors for Nutrition. Based in Teringie, South Australia

Dr Luke Wilson

Dr Coral Dixon

A GP in Wellington NZ. Co-Founder of Two Zesty Bananas, Board Director of Doctors for Nutrition and coauthor of the BROAD study.

A General Practitioner in Mt Maunganui, NZ. An advocate of preventative medicine and lives a plant-based lifestyle with her physio husband Brad and their two daughters.

Hannah O'Malley

Dr Martyn Williamson

Robyn Chuter

Dr Adrian Griscti

A clinical Pharmacist and founder of The Better Base in Nelson NZ. She has an eCornell Cert. in Plant-Based Nutrition.

A General Practitioner in Alexandra NZ. Co-Founder of Plant Strong Living, Founding board member of EBE.NZ and Central Otago Health Services Ltd.

A Naturopath, counsellor, EFT therapist and Lifestyle Medicine Practitioner, Founder of Empower Total Health, Australia. Based in Robina, Gold Coast.

A rural General Practitioner in South Australia. He is a fellow of ASLM, and a Ambassadoc for Doctors for Nutrition. He counsels and educates on healthy living.

Emma Strutt

Dr Nick Wright

Dr Caitlin Randles

Dr Malcolm MacKay

An Australian practising Dietitian and Nutritionist.

Founder of Greenstuff Nutrition. The Queensland Lead Dietitian for Doctors for Nutrition.

A General Practitioner based in Gisborne. Co-Founder of Plantbasedvideos with his partner Morgen Smith.

Co-Author of The BROAD study.

A General Practitioner based in Auckland. Deputy chairperson for EBE.NZ. Passionate about educating on Whole Food Plant-based living.

A General Practitioner based in Melbourne Australia.

Co-Founder of Plant Based Health Australia. He is Resources Advisor for Doctors for Nutrition.

wholefoodliving.life | Winter, 2020

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"Suddenly I could fix my environmental concerns

by Peter Barclay

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T

his is a story about two beasts of battle.

In one corner you have a seasoned explorer, one who doesn't shy away when the going gets tough and has taken his fair share of knocks. Peter Eastwood is a venturer of sorts. When it comes to business he's a sailor sniffing the breeze.

In the corner opposite stands an ancient creature. Arrogant in its own way, the rhino stands almost totally safe except for a poacher's flying bullet.

It's a comparison that might seem laughable in a contest anywhere on an African plain but there's one thing these two beasts have in common, they both eat plants.

For Peter Eastwood, becoming plantbased came about because of a combination of things, but the initial impetus happened through business.

“I’d been involved with Rhino conservation since 2009. Then I was

challenged by my technical manager at work on why I didn’t do something for New Zealand instead of just for Africa.”

A discussion arose around what could be done.

“She said we should be more environmentally friendly. But what does that mean, what is it?”

As he thought of it at the time, “I’ve got to run a business here. I’m not here for handouts – leave all that to the bloody greenies, you know.”

Back then, he says, “I was really right wing.”

His technical manager asked if she could form a committee and come back with some proposals.

“I said yeah, fine. So, she came back a week later and said we should look in the rubbish skips and then we’ll work out what we can avoid throwing in the rubbish. That took us on a journey within the company where we found all of these huge savings

Peter and the rhino and I could fix my health." that made it far better for the environment.

As a CEO Peter says he was embarrassed to admit that it could have happened.

“We were shipping product from our sister company in the UK to New Zealand.

Then we changed the packing, put them into a similar-sized box and shipped them out to our retailers. She said most of the stuff we are throwing away are used boxes from the UK. “I said, oh, we shouldn’t be doing that. I thought we were reusing them, but she said we used to do that but there are thousands now that we are a lot bigger.”

By this point, the company was throwing away about 5 tonnes of boxing material a month.

Next step – Peter was on the phone telling his UK friend that they needed to change the size of the box to the same format used in New Zealand. It was a simple solution but it was also Peter’s first step toward environmental awareness.

“And then I got told about Earth Overshoot Day. A day that marks the date when every bit of energy the earth used after September was borrowing from the future or wasn’t sustainable. So, I now started driving my car slower.

“Well, I used to get lots of tickets anyway, but I calculated that this only used 11% less fuel. I thought, heck, I need to reduce my impact by at least 25% and if I really want to reverse climate change I have to go way beyond 25% to cover for all those who don't give a damn. And for one person that gives a damn, there’s ten or more that don’t.

"Well, I thought that’s not going to do it, I’m going to have to stop going to work or stop flying business class and start flying economy."

The turning point Thinking about the environment was a big turning point, but then something

major happened.

“I got really sick. It turned out it was glandular fever. Then three different people from three different walks of life said to me at the time, give up eating meat.

Just eat vegetable soups to recover. Just take meat out of your diet.

“And I thought, are you mad! I’ll die if I don’t eat meat. I have to eat meat to live.

Where would I get my protein?”

The upshot was that he cut his meat consumption completely and credits the people who spoke to him at the time for helping him make the change.

“One was a vegan, but the other two weren’t. It sowed a little seed in my head, and I thought how can you cut out meat when you are recovering? It didn’t make sense to me. I thought you would have to eat more meat to get your strength up.

“Then, my friend that did all the research on my Rhino projects sent me a link to the movie Cowspiracy. Well, I’d seen on her

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Peter and the rhino Facebook page some talk about vegan stuff, and I thought ah shit she’s gone vegan on me!"

It didn't go done well because his ex-wife had gone vegan, "and she was sick all the time. She had the worst diet I could ever imagine.

"I just thought ah, no. So, I put this message into the rainy-day email list to worry about some other time.”

Then, one Saturday he was sitting in a hotel in Liverpool going through old emails.

Oh that email “I came across this email again, and I thought, oh God. If I don’t watch it now, I’m never going to watch it. Then I opened it and saw she had paid for it. I thought, I really have to watch it if she has paid for it.

“I watched it and thought this is so much bullshit. There’s no way you can save all this energy and have all this good health – I’d have known about it. I come from New Zealand. I’ve had a good education. How could I have not known about it?”

Then he did some more research and read "The China Study" by T Colin Campbell which the movie Cowspiracy is based on .

“I started reading the book, and I went vegan overnight. Then I thought I’m not going to tell anybody, especially my kids because I’ve been on every diet imaginable.”

But The China Study was what really cemented his views.

“It was then I realised that wow, we really have had the wool pulled over our eyes.”

Next he began to tell people that he was vegan, and finally, he told his kids. They were far from convinced initially and took

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bets on how long he would last.

“They just laughed when I told them.

My daughter was kind of vegetarian, flexitarian at the time. So, she was kind of sympathetic, but the boys weren’t because we didn’t use to have many vegetables before that. It was all meat really.

“Now I could see I could fix my environmental concerns, and I could fix my health because I was out of control on my health. I went to my doctor, and he was not impressed. Then I got my blood test back, and it wasn’t impressive, but I’d been having a really bad run (business pressures), so the start point could have been a hell of a lot worse than we thought it was. We also looked at what I was eating.

What I was eating was vegan, but it was far from healthy.”

Improving the diet With a bit more work on the content of the diet and another blood test, Peter found himself back in the doctor’s surgery six months later.

“The doctor said I just want to talk to you some more about this diet because you’ve got better bloods now than what you’ve had in all your tests over 25 to 30 years. He said you can go off all your blood pressure medication and all your cholesterol medication and I said, I stopped taking those medications a while ago!”

His doctor was amazed. By this time Peter had begun to take control of his health and was now regularly testing his blood pressure, “because with all the flying and everything else I just needed to keep it under control.”

But there were other benefits as well.

For a long time, he had been experiencing pain in the heels of his feet, that was gone.

He’d also experienced terrible back pain, that was also gone.

“And I used to forget things all the time, so my staff would have a field day with me.

If they didn’t want to do something, they’d just say you didn’t tell me, and I was thinking, I’m pretty sure I did. Then suddenly I was back to going no, I know I told you. I told you in that meeting three weeks ago on a Thursday. Suddenly they realised they couldn’t wind me up anymore.”

Life has worked out well for Peter but not always as he expected. After leaving Wellington’s Taita College in the late 70s, he desperately wanted to be a motor mechanic but got invited to work full time at the textile factory he had worked at after school. He achieved quite a high position there, but it came at a price.

“There was so much travelling. I was away from my kids when they were growing up, and I decided this wasn’t for me. I tried a few other things then I opened a homebrew shop in 1989. That shop struggled for the first year or two, and then a change in the law on distilling came in, and that meant I could sell stills instead of just homebrew kits.”

A new life That lead to a whole new way of life.

“Firstly, I worked with some local suppliers to develop stills for making spirits at home. I then merged with my equipment supplier and purchased Ma and Pa businesses overseas. We grew organically from about $700,000 turnover to $55 to $60 million. In our niche it was the biggest

supplier of homebrewing in the world.”

Peter eventually sold out of the business and now enjoys the freedom to do what he wants. He has become a big supporter of projects that fit with his new way of life and a significant backer of vegan movies.

The entrepreneurial spirit has never left him, but in the beginning, it wasn’t something he knew he had.

A different attitude “I didn’t know there was anything unique about the way I thought. There’s two things about an entrepreneur. They have a different attitude to fear than other people, and they’re also never satisfied.

“An entrepreneur can never sit back and say that was a great effort. We’ve done a good job there. Or, we should sit back and celebrate that and take a bit of a holiday now. Their makeup doesn’t allow that. As soon as you hit one point, you just go to the next.

He warns, however, that for every entrepreneurial scheme that works, there’s a dozen that don’t.

“The trick to being a successful entrepreneur is not finding the right thing to do, it's more often than not realising pretty quickly what you are doing wrong.

“I’ve seen so many businesses that we’ve taken over, and their biggest failing is that they have decided what they want to do, and they just keep on doing it.

"For example, if you want to sail from Auckland to the UK, you don’t set one course and just keep on going. You’ve got to change the course every day when you realise the wind is different.

"So many businesses I took over were

just on one direction.

“Thirty years ago, when I started in business, you could do the same thing for five years, and it wouldn’t be a problem. If you did the same thing in business today, you would be out the door.”

Because of Covid-19, Peter says his operations have made a big change from education work to humanitarian aid.

“We’ve put a lot of money into feeding people around the game reserves in Africa. Based on their 1Rand per meal, Tanglewood has probably supplied around 300,000 meals to villagers. The problem is that if they’re hungry, the first thing people will do is go into the game reserves and get food. So, if we feed them and talk to them about that, then we’ve got a way better chance of saving those animals.”

Passion for animals Peter finds it hard to identify precisely when he became passionate about saving animals.

“I’d say 2009 when I started supporting the Rhino, but I loved animals way before then. About 2009 was the time when I finally got ahead of that impossible situation where you are earning more money than you can spend. It was the first time I really had spare money.

“There’s a real problem in conservation because most conservation funds come from corporates and the big funds come from European banks. But they have a timeline that you have to stick to, and in Africa, you can’t stick to a timeline.

“For example, say you have a programme to put in 100 wells to an area where they don’t have water. The bank will say here

is your $100,000 US dollars. It’s allocated from the April 1st to March 31st next year. So if you miss that deadline, then the money is not there anymore.

“Keeping a deadline in Africa is really difficult. And before you can put the well in you might have to build a fence, so there’s always a discussion with the chiefs on how you are going to get to the endpoint.

“You might have to sit down under a tree, and it might take three months of talk. He (the chief) has his own agenda too.

He might want a school class so you might have to build that before you can put the wells in.”

Peter found a way around that by talking to the locals on the ground first to see what was needed, and it worked.

“So, from a relatively small amount of money, we were able to generate a big effect. I think it comes down to my entrepreneurial skill. You need to cut through the nonsense to see what is necessary quickly and make a real quick call. We always acted quickly. Back in my textile days, my boss used to say that all good deals are done quickly and I really believe that.”

Thinking back to the time when he first watched Cowspiracy Peter says it’s remarkable how the changes he’s now made have managed to satisfy all the things he had become so concerned about.

“It was the environment, health, and the the animals. It was kind of like, wow, three out of three! Three of the things I really cared about could all be affected by me going vegan. Well, if that was true, there was no reason why I wouldn’t go vegan.”

wholefoodliving.life | Winter, 2020

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Italian 'Meatballs' These Italian air fried 'meatballs' are crammed with flavour and very filling. A great meal for a cold winters night. Created with mushrooms, lentils, Italian herbed bread crumbs and a good kick of garlic.

makes around 8 - 9 balls INGREDIENTS 1 tin 2 4 3 1 tbsp 1 cup ¼ cups

brown lentils (drained) brown onions (diced) cloves garlic (diced) button mushrooms (sliced) ground flax seed Italian bread crumbs fresh parsley (chopped)

METHOD 1. Create a flax egg with 1 tbsp of ground flaxseed and 2 ½ tbsp of hot water, place aside to set.

2. Cook in a pan with a little bit of either water or vege stock the onions, garlic and mushrooms until soft.

3. Add cooked ingredients into a food processor with all other ingredients including the flax egg.

Pulse to combine. You might need to scrape the contents from the sides to make sure all is combined.

4. Make balls from the mix that are around the size of a golf ball and place them into the tray of the air fryer.

5. Cook in air fryer at 180°C for around 15 mins, stopping half way through to turn the balls.

6. Heat in a saucepan your favourite bolonaise sauce. In a second saucepan cook spaghetti following the packets instructions.

7. Serve the 'meatballs' on a plate of greens, whole wheat spaghetti and coated with the bolonaise sauce.

TIP: Flax eggs This is used as a replacement for eggs as a binding agent in a lot of meals and cakes. One flax egg of 1 tbsp of ground flax seed with 2.5 tbsp's of boiled water, replaces one egg.

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Dr Michael Klapper

When the chickens come home I

This virus sprays out through the lungs like a snowstorm.

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n an average, healthy body, one that is fuelled primarily by plant-based foods, incredible things are continually happening says Dr Michael Klapper.

As he explains it, plant-based food is a clean-burning fuel, and its consumption has a significant impact on the human immune system, a system with several parts to it.

"There are these amazing lymphocytes going around our circulatory system, and they are constantly taking the fingerprints of viruses that are riding through the bloodstream. There are viruses everywhere, in our mouths in our rectums, our bloodstream etc. We constantly face a background of low-grade viremia, and it's not a big deal."

"Our bloodstream recognises these, whips up an antibody and it’s neutralised.

It's happening all the time and if you've got a healthy immune system that's basically going to be the experience with the Covid virus.

"You may get sick but young, healthy people, by and large, don't die. The mortality rates occur with the folks with the pre-existing conditions. We're talking about obesity and diabetes, congestive heart failure and asthma. These are the welcome mats that we can lay out for the virus if we are not taking care of ourselves."

In response to a question about whether a healthy 70-year-old is more likely to fight off infection than a 40-year-old with diabetes who is obese or has hypertension, his answer was swift and short.

“YES. It comes down to the concept of biological age. Your background health is

really what determines how you are going to get through one of these infections.

“With every salad you eat, every bowl of vegetable soup, those phytonutrients bathe your tissues. It's like putting gasoline in your car's tank - it runs even better. Food is medicine. That literally is true here. So here is when the chickens come home to roost so to speak. That is where it really pays big dividends in times like this.”

Q: If someone has these conditions right now, is it too late for them to improve their health by eating more healthfully?

“As I say in my lectures, I'm always amazed how quickly these diseases begin to reverse. You take an obese diabetic and get them going on the soups and salads and veggies and lentil stews etc., well, in days the obesity starts to melt away. The arteries start to relax, the high blood pressure comes down, the insulin receptors start to clear out, and the diabetes gets more manageable.

“It is never too late. I hope millions of people hear this, understand the message and, knowing that it is not too late, take that first step to get themselves healthier.

The body will respond beautifully and in short order. Their chance of contracting a fatal virus really starts to go down. This is a perfect time to start improving your diet and improving your health."

Q: Have you seen improvement in lung function when people change their diets?

“One thing that caught my attention early on was that with asthmatic lungs, the

This article has been compiled from an interview with Dr Michael Klapper and conducted by John and Ocean Robins of the Food Revolution Network - www.foodrevolution.org bronchial tubes that carry all the air deep into the lung tissue, the inner linings were always in a state of low-grade inflammation and as a response, they put out extra mucus. This mucus draws microbes that set off low-grade infection, and infection keeps the vicious circle going. You get more inflammation and more mucus and round and round it goes. Pretty soon, the lung linings are swollen and congested and full of mucus, and the patient is wheezing and in respiratory distress.

“When I grew up as a physician, the prevailing thoughts among my pulmonary colleagues was that they would dismiss the idea with contempt that food had anything to do with it. They said there had never been any studies but there most certainly are studies.

“Every one of us docs who practice a lifestyle kind of medicine well we have folders, stables of people who used to have asthma. It's commonplace. I expect it to get better. It may not be 100 per cent in every person, but invariably it gets much, much better.

“Food absolutely has a powerful part to play here. Dairy products seem to be particularly irritating to the lungs of asthmatically pre-disposed people.

“This (COVID-19) is a pulmonary virus, and if your lungs are already loaded up with mucus and inflammatory cytokines,

the last thing you need is this really aggressive virus that badly damages lung tissue. So, all the more reason to yank the dairy out, drink lots more fluids, do some breathing exercises. Every half hour, take three or four deep breaths. Keep those lungs moving, and salad is medicine. Have a big salad every day if you can."

Q: Can you describe how the virus does what it does to us and how our immune systems cope with it?

“This virus sprays out through the lungs like a snowstorm. It will rest in those areas of the lungs where the blood flow is slightly decreased. It might be from old infection or diabetes or obesity. If you've got a large abdomen full of belly fat, well that pushes up under your diaphragm, and it collapses down the lower parts of the lung.

“As obese people sit all day, they're just breathing off the top of their lung volume, and so a third or half of their lungs are basically shut down. Mucus will accumulate, and blood and lymphatic flow decreases, so less immune cells come in.

This is a recipe for the virus to spread really aggressively through the lungs.

“I've been impressed and distressed when I look at the CT scans of these people's lungs and see how much of the lung tissue in a really aggressive case is so damaged. These people are not going

to have normal lungs after this passes. It's not just a case of 'I have a cold I'm back to normal again'. A lot of these people are going to be respiratory cripples from the severe damage this has done to their lungs.

“So, keep those lungs moving and especially if you've got the condition, do not just sit there in a chair breathing quietly all day. At least every half hour put your arms up over your head. Open your rib cage up, take three or four deep breaths, give a cough, get those lungs moving.

“We are constantly inhaling viruses from the outside, and that's where you want your immune cells to interrogate these viruses and conjure up some antibodies to neutralise them. You know, we're dynamic creatures, and we have lots of flowing media.

“If blood doesn't flow it clots. If urine doesn't flow it stagnates and gets infection, and the lung secretions, they are meant to be constantly moving up to the throat where we spit them out or swallow them.

They're part of this pulmonary cleansing system that, at this time, you really want to be functioning optimally.”

Along with other measures, Dr Klapper says, this is a time to make every meal count.

"Get enough sleep. Get enough fresh foods in. Don't eat a bunch of sugars. Don't eat a bunch of oils. All of these things interfere with your immune cells' ability to come up with a bunch of antibodies. Let every meal that comes in really start to heal your inflamed and infected tissues.”

wholefoodliving.life | Winter, 2020

17

Chickpea Flour 18 wholefoodliving.life | Winter, 2020

W

ith so many options for flour these days it is mind-blowing where to start. Here is one option that has an abundance of natural health benefits.

Chickpea flour is gluten-free and packed with protein and nutrients.

One cup has 101% of the recommended folate that you need in a day and has fewer calories than whole wheat flour and 25% fewer calories than white flour. Yet it has also been found that chickpea flour is more filling than wheat flour.

Chickpea flour is packed with fibre, triple the amount found in white flour. The fibre in this flour is called resistant starch which remains undigested until it reaches your large intestine where it feeds your healthy gut bacteria. It has been linked to a reduction in several conditions like heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and colon cancer.

What is there not to love about this!

Check out our recipes using this flour on the following pages.

wholefoodliving.life | Winter, 2020

19

Delicious French Toast A filling breakfast in less than 20 mins. Super easy to prep and full of flavour.

INGREDIENTS 1/2 cup 2 tbsp 1/4 tsp 1 tsp 1/4 tsp 3/4 cup 1 tsp

chickpea flour maple syrup salt (optional) cinnamon nutmeg plant-based milk vanilla essence

20 wholefoodliving.life | Winter, 2020

METHOD 1. Sieve all dry ingredients into a large bowl, mix well.

2. Add the maple syrup and plant-based milk and vanilla essence and fold into the dry ingredients.

3. Pour the mix into a shallow bowl wide enough to take the bread.

4. Heat non-stick pan or omelete maker.

5. Put wholemeal bread into mix and let it soak for at least 10 mins each side.

6. Move the bread onto the pan and heat through for around 5 mins, then turn.

7. Serve with a drizzle of maple syrup and top with fresh or frozen berries - defrosted of course :-)

Chickpea Flour Crepes Another great breakfast idea. Can be used with sweet or savour fillings.

INGREDIENTS Crepe: 1 1/4 cup 1 1/3 cup 1/4 tsp 1 tsp 1/4 tsp 1/2 tsp Inner mix: 2 1 5 2 1/2 cup 1 tsp 1/4 tsp 2 tbsp

chickpea flour water salt (optional) ground cumin (optional) ground turmeric (optional) mixed herbs (optional) tomotoes (diced) brown onion (diced) button mushroom (diced) garlic cloves (minced) spinach leaves grated tumeric root (optional) ground black pepper cheesy sauce (pg. 43)

METHOD 1. In a blender add all ingredients. Blend on high for around 40 mins or until all lumps from the flour is removed.

2. Transfer the mix into a bowl and allow to stand for 30 mins to thicken.

3. While crepe mix is thickening, cook with a little vege stock or water all the inner mix except the cheesy sauce. Once cooked set aside.

4. Heat a crepe pan or omelete maker and pour crepe mix speading our mixture evenly.

5. While crepe is heating add cheesy sauce and half the inner mix to the centre of the crepe mix.

6. Once crepe fully cooked through fold corners over inner mix.

7. Remove from pan to plate and add a nice green salad to the side.

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Deb Plowman and the down under difference D

eb Plowman is a staunch whole food plant-based advocate, but she’s quick to admit there are still some conversations, that can be difficult to handle.

There are times, she says, when the olive oil argument can be especially challenging.

“We have been indoctrinated with how important olive oil is. I just end up keeping it to myself and only if they ask do I tell them.”

She puts it like this: “Actually, the evidence shows that oil is not as good for you as you have been led to believe and the Mediterranean diet is healthy despite the oil not because of the oil.

“When I go to friends’ houses, and they say that they will cook, you can’t say, can you not use oil, especially if they have gone to all that trouble. These are the ones that I find the trickiest conversations.It's one thing to ask for no meat, no eggs, dairy, or fish, but then to add "can you not cook with oil either" feels a step too far.

But while oil might pose a problem in some circumstances, there is one other food that can still tempt her taste buds.

“Cheese is the hardest one to give up,” she says. “Cheese is very addictive. I found that very hard. Even now, though I would never eat it again, I can still look at it and say - ooh, so nice!”

So how does that work with vegan cheese?

“My son, I must admit, does love the slices. He sometimes gets them and makes a cheese sandwich. I try and stay away from it because it is very easy to get sucked back in. It is too nice, and I think it is a brain thing - all those endorphins in your brain get excited almost the same as they do with real cheese. It is just that rich food, I think, that makes your brain go a bit crazy.

“I’m a big follower of “The Pleasure Trap” (Dr Doug Lyle and Dr Alan Goldhamer), and you just know when you eat things like that

22 wholefoodliving.life | Winter, 2020

it is not normal. You think my brain is just reacting to this and it is not as it should be. So, I just try and stay away from them. I find them very addictive.”

And what about the down-under take on whole food. Is it different from American whole food recipes?

“The American food I first came across was very Tex-Mex. In 2010 when we started on WFPB all the recipes I found from McDougall Friends Facebook Group; all the links you find, all websites you go to and all the books you buy are very Tex-Mex. And I was thinking, I like Mexican food but not every night.

“I am from England, so I was looking for more European things, stews, and curries, just a broader range. I could not find any recipes like that, so I started adapting ones that I found, and that is when I started my blog. I wanted recipes from my way of eating and to feed my familiar tasty dishes.”

An early discovery Deb got into cooking from the age of 17, and there was one thing she discovered very quickly.

“I can’t eat bland food. I just love tasty food. If you are going to do it, it has to taste good. So that was my drive - to make the things we like to eat as tasty as possible, without the dairy and eggs. We had been vegetarian for a long time, so it wasn’t the meat and the fish that was the issue. It was giving up the eggs and the cheese and the milk and butter.”

But the food itself wasn’t what sparked her deeper motivation to make a dietary change.

“I watched The Animals Film in 1982, and then thought, that is it, I don’t want anything to do with farming or any kind of farming and I have always loved animals, it definitely opened my eyes.

“I had always wanted to go vegetarian at the time, but I needed ammunition. So, I watched this four-hour-long film, and I just sat

• This article was compiled from discussions with WFL's, Peter and Catherine Barclay and an interview by prominent Australian podcast specialist Corinne Nijjer.

and cried through the whole thing. My mum kept saying, don’t watch it. She couldn’t understand that I had to watch it in order to motivate myself. I went vegetarian and never went back.

“I left for Uni a year later, and then really had to learn to look after my dietary needs! I met my husband, in 1994 and he had coincidentally just become vegetarian so that made things very easy! Back then, I had always thought that veganism was a step too far, and there was no need for it because, to me, it was just about avoiding animal cruelty and you don’t kill the animals to get milk, so that was my justification.

Audio books helped “I took up running in 2010, and I loved to listen to audio books because it distracted me from the pain. I started to look for books on nutrition to listen to while I was running as I've always been very interested in health, and I came across ‘Eat to Live’ a Joel Fuhrman book. That was the first wakeup call. I didn’t know that dairy and eggs were so bad for you. I had no idea. Then, it was just as the movie Forks Over Knives was about to be released and we couldn’t get it in Australia. I bought the book instead, and that was it, I was convinced.

“And Andy (her partner) he’s very much a science man, and he read it, and he agreed and said let’s do it. Our kids were 7 and 11 when we started. That’s when I thought we need to start adapting the recipes that we’d always cooked and that’s also when I started plantbasedfamilydownunder.com.

For Deb, the whole shift to WFPB has always been about health.

“Once you know what you are doing to yourself when you eat those foods, you can’t keep on doing it. You just can’t unknow.

But what about those that think we need to eat meat to be healthy?

“Yes, that’s what we need to attack. There’s this massive

mythology around it - about animals living on happy farms that we kill them as nicely as we can, and they have a nice life. Well no, they don’t. Even free-range animals. They still put a gun to their head and for no reason. You don’t need meat, and it’s actually harmful.

“Of course, people don’t believe that. They think everything in moderation. People say, you know, I only have red meat once a week or I only have chicken or fish, and I think, yeah you don’t need that either.”

Understanding the health benefits Immediately after turning to WFPB, she began to understand the health benefits. Then she noticed a difference in her husband’s blood pressure.

“My husband had very high blood pressure. He was eating fish occasionally if we went out for dinner. He was eating fish, eggs and cheese, but within six weeks, his blood pressure was perfectly normal. The doctors were very surprised. He was a tall fit man, and it was kind of an eye-opener to realise the good it was doing in giving all that up.

“I hadn’t had my cholesterol checked for a while, and I did have an irregular heartbeat and had done for as long as I can remember - that’s gone.”

But being vegetarian already, it was probably less challenging to change the children’s diets.

“My children were vegetarian from birth. I think it must be hard if you’re giving up bacon and sausages and chicken and McDonald’s and all this stuff that my children would have been eating as well if we hadn’t been vegetarian.”

She says a long tradition in her family was eating fried egg sandwiches for breakfast on the weekend, but it wasn’t long before she found an answer.

“I found that chickpea in a chickpea flour batter … you just use flour and water and a bit of that pink salt that tastes like eggs.

Once it’s in bread with tomato sauce on it, my kids were quite happy. Omelettes with chickpea flour are very good.

“You find things along the way, and you just keep doing all their favourites. Like, you can still make lasagne, chilly and rice and tacos, curries, stews, casseroles and soups.

Deb stresses there is no need to use mathematical equations to create meals but be sure you are getting enough of the right nutrients. And don’t become paranoid.

“In terms of worrying about nutritional input, the one book I read that stopped me doing that was ‘Whole’ by Dr T Collin Campbell.

That was an amazing book because it made me realise, we have such a reductionist attitude to nutrition. It’s totally not necessary.

“For example, I remember how he talks about how you can take ten apples of the same tree, and they would all have varying degrees of different nutrients in them. No two apples are the same. So, when we say, oh there are 100 calories in an apple, and there’s so much vitamin C or whatever, well that’s not actually true because every apple is different.

“Our body’s ability to take what it needs is incredible because we have eaten this way since cavemen and before. Our bodies know how to get what they need from the foods we eat. And it gets just as much of what it needs.

“For example, with haem iron from meat, our body has no choice but to absorb it, so you can get too much iron. Whereas, from nonhaem iron, our body will only take as much iron from that source as it needs. You can’t overdose on spinach and have too much iron.”

So, the book was a great relief, especially when it came to satisfying her concern that her children’s diet was adequate.

“Whole was really reassuring for me. To know that you don’t have to worry about it. As long they are getting enough food from enough different sources, they will be fine.”

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Kale & Red Pepper Bites Recipe by Deb Plowman www.plantbasedfamilydownunder.com INGREDIENTS ½ cup ¼ cup ¼ cup ¼ cup 1 box 1 1 lrg 1 tsp ½ tsp ½ tsp 2 tbsp 1 tbsp 1 tbsp ¼ cup

medium grain brown rice millet split red lentils quinoa frozen kale red capsicum, finely diced onion, finely diced Italian dried herb mix garlic granules onion powder nutritional yeast low sodium tamari / soy sauce tahini - optional ground almonds - optional juice of half a lemon zest of a whole lemon

METHOD 1. Rinse the grains and lentils in a fine sieve under running water for a couple of minutes.

2. Place them in a rice cooker (or saucepan - but you may need to add an extra half a cup of water before the grains are fully cooked, depending on how tight fitting the lid is) with 3 cups of water, and put it on to cook.

3. Preheat the oven to 200 ° C / 375° F 4. Meanwhile, put the kale into a sieve over (in which the sieve

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will be enclosed) and cover in boiling water.

5. Place a large frying pan over a medium heat, and "fry" the capsicum and onion, adding a splash of water or stock to stop them sticking. Do not allow to get too moist. Once softened after a few minutes, add the herbs and garlic. Cook until the moisture has evaporated out and the vegetables are fairly dry but not sticking to the pan.

6. Drain the kale, and squeeze all the water out of it with your hands - I find it easiest to do this in 3 or 4 small handfuls, and set aside.

7. Once the grains are cooked, (they should be fairly dry also) tip them into a large bowl, and tip in the contents of the frying pan. Sprinkle in the kale, breaking up any lumps, then add the nutritional yeast, tamari, tahini, lemon, zest & almonds and thoroughly mix.

8. Sprinkle some sesame seeds if using into the bottom of each muffin hole, then pack the mixture firmly on top, pushing down to ensure no air pockets which will stop them coming out cleanly. Sprinkle some more sesame seeds on top.

9. Pop into the top of the oven for 20 minutes. Take out, allow to sit for 5 minutes then invert the tray onto a cooling rack, making sure they all come out (you might need to loosen stubborn ones around the side with a plastic knife), place that on top of a baking tray and then pop back in the oven for 10 minutes to crisp up the bottoms.

10. My mixture made 34, so you can use the tray again to use up the mixture for another 6-10 bites.

Winter Bake Recipe by Deb Plowman www.plantbasedfamilydownunder.com INGREDIENTS ½ lrg 1 ½ cups 1 2 cloves 2 tbsp 2 cups 1 tbsp 1 tsp 4 1 cup

savoy cabbage, finely shredded split red lentils onion, finely shredded (ditto) garlic, finely chopped tomato paste passata (or blended canned tomatoes) vegetable stock powder Tabasco - optional mixed herbs medium / large potatoes (about 800g) freshly made breadcrumbs

Sauce: ½ tbsp 1 tbsp ½ cup 1.5 cups 1 tsp ½ tsp 1 tbsp 1 tbsp 1 tsp ½ tsp ½ tsp

raw onion corn flour cashews Soy milk dijon mustard vinegar lemon juice nutritional yeast chicken style stock powder (in NZ vege stock) salt date paste / other sweetener e.g maple syrup, rice syrup.

METHOD 1. Heat a medium saucepan on a gentle heat, add cabbage and herbs. Place on lid and allow the cabbage to steam in its own juices.

2. Put lentils in a medium saucepan, cover by an inch of water, add the onion, garlic, tomato paste, passata, stock powder and optional tabasco; bring to boil, reduce heat and simmer until cooked down to a thickish soup.

3. Finely slice the potatoes (use a mandolin or processor, or with a knife, about ½ cm thick) and steam for 10 or so mins or until just tender.

4. Make the white sauce by putting all ingredients into a blender, blend til smooth, pour into a small sauce pan and stir constantly until thickened.

5. Grease a deep baking dish or casserole dish which has a close fitting lid e.g. Pyrex or Le Creuset) 6. Layer in the dish as follows: 1/3 of the potatoes 1/3 of the cabbage 1/2 of the lentil mixture 1/3 of the white sauce 1/2 of remaining potatoes 1/2 of remaining cabbage Rest of lentils 1/2 of remaining white sauce Remaining potatoes Remaining cabbage Remaining white sauce Breadcrumbs 7. A quick spray of oil on top 8. Bake for 40 mins, in a moderate oven, placing on the lid for last 15 mins to prevent top burning. Test it is cooked through by piercing with a knife. Should be very soft, top crisp and sauce bubbling. Allow to stand for 10 minutes before serving.

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Lasagne with creamy white sauce Recipe by Deb Plowman www.plantbasedfamilydownunder.com

Lasagne INGREDIENTS 1 2 cloves 1 1 2 1 1 1 can 1 jar 50 g 1 tsp 150 g 15 6-8

medium onion, chopped cloves garlic red capsicum, diced green capsicum, diced medium zucchini, diced medium carrot, diced stick celery, diced chopped tomatoes of your favourite tomato based pasta sauce lentils, Red, split Oregano Baby Spinach, chopped leaves basil, chopped Wholemeal Lasagne Sheets Creamy White Sauce – 1 batch (end of recipe) Optional : fresh breadcrumbs

METHOD 1. Make the Creamy White Sauce - see end of recipe.

2. Sauté onion, garlic after 5 mins, then add capsicum, carrot, celery, zucchini and let soften – about 15 minutes.

3. Add tomatoes, jar of sauce, lentils, oregano, baby spinach, and basil, season to taste. Allow to simmer until spinach wilts.

4. Heat oven to 180° C. 5. In lasagne dish put a thin layer tomato sauce, cover with lasagne sheets 6. Layer the 2 sauces and pasta alternately in lasagne dish,

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topping with 2nd half of white sauce (or 3 layers depending on how thick your layers are) 7. If liked, sprinkle a cup of fresh breadcrumbs over the top of the white sauce.

8. Bake for 35-45 minutes. Test with a sharp knife to make sure the pasta is very tender. Let rest for 10 minutes before serving.

Creamy white sauce

INGREDIENTS 1 large / 2 small leeks, well washed, finely sliced ½ cup water ½ cup soy milk / other plant milk ½ cup raw cashews, soaked 1 tbsp Dijonnaise 1 tbsp Nutritional yeast 1 tsp tahini 1 tsp agave 1 tsp miso 1 tbsp lemon juice 2 tsp cornflour METHOD 1. Sweat the leeks in a small saucepan with the lid on, over a low light until they are very tender.

2. Add all the other ingredients apart from cornflour and blend with stick blender or in food processor / blender.

3. Pour back into the saucepan if necessary, and heat through.

4. Mix the cornflour with 2 T water in a small bowl, then mix into the sauce, stirring continuously until it thickens.

Christichurch Vegan Expo!

Sunday, November 8, 2020

Haere-roa, University of Canterbury, Christchurch Tickets $5 online now. $6 on the door.

Under 12s free. www.veganexpo.co.nz/christchurch

C

ome to Christchurch for a weekend getaway and fill up on fabulous vegan food and products when the Christchurch Vegan Expo returns this November!

After having a year off in 2019, we'll be back on Sunday, November 8 with more than 80 stalls offering wonderful vegan, eco-friendly and cruelty-free food and products, plus inspiring films, speakers, and cooking demonstrations at Haere-roa, the UCSA's new venue at the University of Canterbury.

Our last expo was a scrumptious plant-based food and lifestyle extravaganza and this year's Expo

promises no less.

Originally launched in 2007 as the Vegetarian Expo, this inspiring annual food and lifestyle event has continued to demonstrate growth and popularity for more than 12 years.

Attendance has continued to increase every year, attracting a diverse cross-section of the community. The thousands who attend include those who are curious to learn more about cruelty-free alternatives to meat, eggs and dairy products, as well as vegetarians, vegans and allergy sufferers.

Nicole O'Neill

Food & digestion it's an easy link I opened my world to the idea that true health was not bound by physiological adjustments but rather a lifestyle commitment to embody vitality through mind, body and spirit.

I

was just 21 when I was diagnosed with Ulcerative Colitis. A crippling bowel disease I had acquired through an intrinsically linked set of epidemiological circumstances that occurred throughout my life as a child. That, I would come to learn later.

I remember how sick I was, pumped with steroids and a slew of anti-inflammatories that would be my life for the next six months. As if I didn’t have enough to deal with, I drifted through university with a ‘moon face’ – a hideous side effect from the steroids that often left me in tears and I wasn’t sure what I hated more; being publicly sick or the self-reproach, mingled with humiliation.

I’m a seventies child. I grew up on silvertop milk, processed cereals, packet food and copious amounts of meat and dairy products. But that wasn’t the flick of the dominos for me, just the direction the dominos would go in.

I was just three years old when I contracted whooping cough, bursting both eardrums and causing glue-ear and grommets that would govern my life for the next 9 years. I was marched in and out of the ENT clinic so often, I was on first name terms with the specialists. I was also prescribed copious amounts of antibiotics to deal with ear infections and surgery.

I couldn’t blame my parents for their significant lack of nutritional judgement.

It’s just the way it was. You either survived

28 wholefoodliving.life | Winter, 2020

the pathogenic onslaught or you didn’t.

The first signs that my body was suffering from the inside out was when I developed acne as a teenager. Naturally, I was given Retinol A and prescribed the contraceptive pill as an obvious course of action.

No questions asked Suffering from a bowel disease was one thing. But suffering from a bowel disease during my pregnancy years was another. I was back up to a rattling nine pills a day to control my symptoms which now included hair loss, chronic fatigue and anaemia.

To make matters worse, following a colonoscopy procedure shortly after my third child was born, my specialist hit me with further bad news and changed my diagnosis from Ulcerative Colitis to Crohns Disease.

Ulcerative Colitis affects the large intestine only. Crohns affects the entire GI tract. Prior to my pregnancies, I consciously avoided any information about my health, preferring denial as a means to cope.

But now I felt a great responsibility to owe it to myself and my children to find my way back to health.

I had a digestive disorder, so it was pretty easy to start linking my condition with food. I began reading books and researching whatever I could to fully understand Chronic Bowel Disease (CBD).

I began correlating highly processed foods with my ‘flare-ups’, and began the Simple carbohydrate Diet (SCD) shortly after

reading ‘Breaking the Vicious Cycle’ and ‘GAPS’ (Gut And Psychology Syndrome).

I did experience reduced symptoms, but I was never completely free of my medications, however, for the first time, I was taking charge of my health and that felt really good.

It’s been a little over three years now since I was first prompted by my very supportive husband to research the benefits of a whole food plant-based diet.

His story is just as compelling!

Together we started immersing ourselves in documentaries, interviews and podcasts about the enormous benefits of living a whole food plant-based life and the countless ways that animal agriculture is not only inhumane, damaging to the planet, but a fundamental cause of many chronic diseases we face today.

Cupboards cleared out After watching Fork Over Knives, What The Health, The C Word, The Need To Grow and Plant Pure Nation, and others, my husband and I were pretty swift to clear our cupboards out of processed packet food, ditching dairy, meat, eggs and heavily processed sauces and replacing them with fresh or dried whole foods.

This switch didn’t happen overnight, but it certainly happened fast enough to keep the devil on my shoulder quiet.

In as little as 3 months, I grew stronger, I came off my meds entirely and my energy levels shot up. I started to feel the best I’d

ever felt in years. I began my journey back to health and found the beauty in other lifestyle changes too such as yoga and meditation.

I opened my world to the idea that true health was not bound by physiological adjustments but rather a lifestyle commitment to embody vitality through mind, body and spirit.

My recovery is what motivated me to advance my own understanding of nutritional health and wellbeing, spending most of my free time researching as much as I could about the positive effects of plant-based nutrition.

I continue to be impressed that the more diseases we study, and the more underlying biological mechanisms we research, the more new reasons there are to explain why simple lifestyle changes are so powerful and transformative.

Ironically, the basis for much of this research is now 40 years old, first pioneered

by Dr T.Colin Campbell when he began The China Study back in 1980. He realised that something as primal as what we chose to put in our mouths made a difference to the fate of our health.

His dedication to support this and the countless other physicians, doctors, specialists and professional advocates who have since come to realise the profound and transformative effects of plant based nutrition, is really coming to the fore and finally beginning to emerge into

mainstream media. This way of living has certainly empowered me to imbue these changes with meaning.

But let’s get one thing abundantly clear here - my story led me to my intentions and not everyone’s story will do the same.

LIfe has changed There’s no doubt that my life has irrevocably changed as a result of healing through a whole food plant-based diet.

But I’m not a purist. I still get knee-jerk rebellious tendencies to eat vegan junk food, and occasionally I will. It just doesn’t have the same appeal as it once did. It’s almost a dying habit and somehow, through practice, I have managed to drown out the sound through immutable intention.

I don’t practice yoga and meditation on a daily basis and I have days where I sit behind my computer and realise I haven’t got up for over four hours. But I come from a place of honest intent with clear objectives to at least try.

And over the last three years I have got better at trying. My own actions in response to my health have altered my thoughts, my choices and my beliefs. And through my actions, I have finally conquered disease.

I have been symptom and medication free for over three years and the freedom to live without disease has driven me to share my story with as many people as possible.

I, along with three others who share the same passion, vision and dream started a project two years ago called Plant Strong

Living. We set out to inspire and motivate others to discover a deeper level of understanding of nutritional health and wellbeing.

We aim to cut through the vast amounts of confusion and help people achieve real results through cooking demos, seminars and courses (still to come).

On our team is Dr Martyn Williamson, a general practitioner with a special interest in the health effects of plant-based nutrition who is available to offer expert advice as well as answer questions on health topics.

We have now launched a whole food plant-based food box with delicious recipes, designed to teach people how to cook this way without struggling for ideas or know-how.

Health means everythng My health enables everything I do. It is the underpinning foundation on which I live my life. Without it, I have nothing.

I don’t take it for granted.

I have learnt that where my food comes from can impact not just my health but the world around me. I now know food matters.

So, for those people who live with chronic disease, I want to show them too that it’s absolutely possible with time, kindness and patience to cure or reverse chronic disease through a whole food plant-based lifestyle.

If I can do it, so can you.

To health, wellness and your own personal journey to recovery

wholefoodliving.life | Winter, 2020

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BUSINESS FOCUS

Plant powered & running strong "It’s not about being plant-based and miserable and living for two years longer, not entirely happy with life. This is about being plantbased, enjoying your health and really, really making the most of your time."

When Martyn and Liz Williamson attended a seminar in Wellington over two years ago, they never expected to come away with the germ of an idea that would provide food boxes throughout Otago.

It was still early days then but, over several meetings with a person they met there, and the introduction of one other person, Plant Strong Living was borne.

The business partners, Paula Colloty, Nicole O'Neill, Liz and Martyn Williamson, are firm whole food plant-based advocates with a passion to carry the healthy eating message to all who are interested.

At their initial and subsequent meetings, Martyn says they were greatly encouraged

by Paula's enthusiasm for plant-based cooking and nutrition. She had been introduced to it by her brother, and she was very clear about the value of its benefits.

Working it out Liz explains: "We talked about what a business around this could look like. We talked about how we wanted to inspire people and its potential for rejuvenating health. Paula declared that she was brimming with vitality that she just hadn't had prior to making those changes."

In a separate discussion between Paula and himself, Martyn said he was able to outline some of the hopes he had for the future practice of medicine.

"As a GP, this had given me the tool with which I could actually cure the diseases that I had hitherto believed were incurable.

We can modify them with tablets, but we can not stop their slow and inevitable

30 wholefoodliving.life | Winter, 2020

progression."

Plant Strong Living had its initial beginnings last year with talks and seminars in the local community.

"We found that really quite intensive but fun," says Liz, "and we had people coming up to us asking us to talk in their area. We would like to be able to talk to people more widely so we can get the message out as far and wide as possible."

Although very important, the food box, "is just one arm of what we want to offer," she says.

"Our goal at the end of the day is for everyone who has received a food box is doing whole food plant-based living themselves. To have that happen, of course, people need to develop new skills. That's what we offer people."

Martyn says continuing the talks will be "really important. Firstly, to get the message out to people and secondly, as a follow up for people who have chosen Food Box and have become interested in healthy plant-based nutrition.

So far talks have been presented to several interested groups in the community "‌ I've done a couple for the University of The Third Age which is an Otago initiative and is local government funded. Those have gone well. In one sense it doesn't matter to us how many come along to a talk, but we would like to develop a system which funds this kind of thing.�

The business also involves Nicole, who has skills in graphic design.

Nicole and Paula are sisters-in-law

and "Nicole cut her own journey into discovering what whole food living was all about," Liz said. "She has her own story, and it's a very powerful one of curing Crohns disease with wholefood plantbased nutrition "

Being value driven Martyn said when Nicole came on board, the partners began to hammer out what their values were and what they saw as important to the business moving forward.

"Obviously we would like Plant Strong Living to earn an income, but primarily we are motivated by health and the people around us, including our communities. We would regard it as a success if we had a lot of people improving their health and their outlook through whole food plant-based nutrition .

"We also looked at service development, and one of the services we looked at providing is some online education and also, consultation services."

This means people who have a medical issue will be able to run their concern past Martyn in terms of plant-based nutrition, and "we will also offer some health coaching which is Liz's forte. Paula is interested in teaching people how to cook plant-based.

"And Nicole is really keen on helping people and talking to them about her experience with her with young children because she and her husband are whole food plant-based and they have young children who are also now whole food plant-based. She has practical experience

processed food. It means you have g always got something available to you if you plan ahead.”

All of these are part of a larger course which is being fleshed out in detail but will be available soon once the Food Box system is running comfortably.

Liz says most people will do a well with the Food Box itself and the general advice given but “if someone needs more than that then a one-on -one or virtual consult is available with Martyn, myself or Paula to help through the specific issues they might have.”

Perhaps one of the biggest challenges in developing commercial WFPB services is in ‘packaging’ parts of the message that are common and often freely available.

Once they are named and given good graphics, they might look like something being pushed by a television fitness guru.

But that’s not the way it is with whole food plant-based eating.

“This really is a way of life,” Liz explains, “the creation of services or packaged products as such does help people identify what they need. And it shortens the timeframe when it comes to identifying what would best to work on first.”

Health retreats coming

The Plant Strong Living Team

Dr Martyn Williamson

Paula Colloty

Liz Williamson

Nicole O'Neill

www.plantstrongliving.co.nz of how to introduce this into a young family.

Because of this experience, the medical knowledge and their nutrition training Plant Strong Living is well equipped to offer a "whole package" as Martyn puts it.

"Liz and I have run supermarket visits taking small groups of people around New World here in Alexandra, and that's been good fun. We can offer that in Central Otago, and Paula can offer that in Dunedin."

Virtual supermarket tour Martyn says they are also hoping to create an online version of a supermarket tour.

"We photograph shelves and talk people through the issues, show them food labels, explain what they all mean. Then we can answer fiddly questions like, is tomato sauce acceptable?

One of the discoveries the company has made so far is that people interested in understanding the value of plant-based eating also often desire a more structured

programme they can easily follow.

"A three-week programme is enough to get people off the ground – we call it our 21 day challenge. It is currently under construction and will include the elements that Martyn is talking about as well as how to create a supportive environment for people to succeed. For instance, how to clear out your fridge and pantry and restock them with tasty healthy alternatives " Liz says.

"It’s important to know what staples to have on hand so you can make some things from scratch and know how to sauté with small amounts of water instead of oil.

Simple things that people often struggle with.

“We also offer tips and tricks for when people are travelling, how to talk to family and friends to get their support and suggestions fro transitioning youg children.

Batch cooking is a trick to ensurethere is always something healthy ready at hand in the freezer to avoid reaching for

In time, Martyn says he would like to see the business offer health retreats and workshops.

“They would be centred on plant-based nutrition plus other aspects of lifestyle.

Paula, Liz and I have have all done eCornell’s plantbased nutrition course and Liz and I are both studying for certification in Lifestyle medicine. This based on the American College of Lifestyle Medicine.

“They have in their textbook whole food plant-based nutrition as the plank of the nutritional approach which really suits us. We are upskilling ourselves as we go. We are also upskilling in terms of personal development. Of course, in the programmes we want to deliver programmes that encourage others, we feel it is import that we are on the same journey.”

“Nutrition has a major impact on our overall health, which,when supported by other lifestyle changes, can realise huge gains in vitality“ says Liz “It’s not about being plant-based and miserable and living two unhappy years longer. This is about being plant-based, enjoying your health and really, really making the most of your time,” Martyn said.

Liz loves a statement from Dr Neil Barnard, which reflects a similar sentiment.

“It’s not about more years in your life. It’s about more life in your years.”

Martyn: “Yes, exactly. That really captures what we’re about.”

wholefoodliving.life | Winter, 2020

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Hearty vegetable casserole A hearty casserole full to the extreme with loads of delicious vegetables. Strong flavours pack a punch. The perfect casserole when it is raining outside and you're sitting cosy in front of your favourite series.

INGREDIENTS 1 lrg 230 grms 1 tsp 3 cups Âź tsp 1 can 2 2 2 2 1 can 1 tbsp 1 cup 1 tbsp 2 tbsp

onion (diced) button mushroom (sliced) dried mixed herbs vegetable stock ground pepper diced tomatoes medium carrots (diced) celery sticks (diced) potatoes (cubed) kumara (sweet potato) (cubed) pasta sauce balsamic vinegar frozen peas and corn smoked paprika nutritional yeast

32 wholefoodliving.life | Winter, 2020

METHOD 1. Preheat oven to 180°C 2. Combine all ingredients into a casserole dish with lid and mix until the liquid is combined.

3. Bake in oven for 1 hr, remove from oven and check softness of potato, kumara etc. Cook for a further 30 mins if not soft.

4. If liquid in casserole at the end of the cooking is not thick then add one tbsp of cornflour mixed in a 1/4 cup of cold water. Stir through to help thicken.

Mushroom Stroganoff A creamy rich stroganoff, very filling. Makes a large volume for a good sized family or carried over for lunch the next day.

INGREDIENTS 1 packet 2 cups 1 med 2 1 tbsp 1 tbsp 1 tbsp 2 cups 1/3 cup

whole wheat pasta portabella mushrooms (sliced) brown onion (diced) garlic cloves (minced) tomato paste lemon juice soy sauce vegetable stock Deb Plowman's white sauce (pg. 26)

METHOD 1. Suate onions and garlic in a little vege stock or water until the onions start to go clear then add the mushrooms, continue to suate until mushrooms reduce in size.

2. Cook pasta to pack instructions and set aside.

3. Combine all liquid ingredients to the suated veges and heat through. Then add the pasta.

4. Serve sprinked with chives, chilli flakes and chopped tomato.

Balsamic Roasted Mushroom Simple dish to add to the side of any main meal or as a snack.

INGREDIENTS 3 cups 3 tbsp 2 tbsp 3 1/2 tsp

button mushrooms balsamic vinegar soy sauce garlic cloves (minced) fresh tyme (chopped

METHOD 1. Toss the mushrooms into the other ingredients.

2. Line an oven roasting pan with foil wrap and arrange mushrooms in a single layer.

3. Roast at 200°C until soft, around15 - 20 mins.

Baste halfway through the cooking.

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A new life I

have always tried to live a healthy lifestyle, exercising three to four times per week and eating what I thought was a healthy diet. I cooked most of my own food, avoided heavily processed and ‘junk’ foods, and meal-prepped once or twice a week so that I always had healthy snacks and lunches to bring to work.

People would always comment on how healthy my food was, and I always seemed to be one of the few people that rarely even bought a takeaway coffee, let alone lunch.

Last year I fell pregnant, and despite continuing my ‘healthy’ eating, I was diagnosed with gestational diabetes. At first, I was diet controlled, but as I couldn’t get my fasting blood sugars down below target, I ended up on oral medication for about a month towards the end of my pregnancy. Unfortunately, my body didn’t agree with the recommendations by the diabetic nurse educator (DNE) and dietician to include more carbohydrates in my diet.

I found that I could only eat half a slice of toast, and not even a quarter of a cup of rice or oats; otherwise, my blood sugar after meals would be too high. I started eating more yoghurt, nuts, cheese, and full-cream milk which were actually encouraged by the DNE as the increased protein and fat was supposed to help regulate my blood sugar.

A healthy baby boy Thankfully I never made it on to insulin, and my sugars stabilised slightly right towards the end of my pregnancy, allowing me to come off the medication. I had a healthy baby boy in September and was told I no longer had to monitor my blood sugars. After delivering a baby, most people I know that have had gestational diabetes are excited to eat things like chocolate, doughnuts and McDonalds. I was more excited to be able to eat my regular bowl of oats for breakfast or finally enjoy two slices of toast!

Unfortunately, I failed my first post-partum glucose tolerance test (GTT). The doctor ordered a repeat test a month later, and also added on a few other routine blood tests. At my follow up appointment, I found out that not only had I failed the second GTT, but I also had dangerously high cholesterol, with a total cholesterol level of 7.4.

I have previously worked on a cardiology ward in a hospital, where the majority of patients come in having had a heart attack, and most (but not all) of these patients tend to be overweight and have a generally unhealthy lifestyle. I can only remember a small handful of them having a total cholesterol level over 7! I do have a family history of high cholesterol and heart disease.

34 wholefoodliving.life | Winter, 2020

Because of this, the doctor wanted me to start cholesterol lowering medication immediately, informing me that I had a significant risk of having a major cardiovascular event (e.g. heart attack or stroke) within the next five years. I pleaded with her to give me time to let me try to lower my cholesterol using diet, without medication, and she allowed me three months.

I went home in disbelief, as I always considered myself a healthy and fit person. Had I always had high cholesterol and not known about it? Was it because of all the butter, cheese, full cream milk and coconut yoghurt that I had been eating during my pregnancy because I was trying to avoid carbs? Since I already followed most of the ‘healthy eating’ recommendations, avoided highly processed and fatty/fried foods, ate minimal takeaway, didn’t smoke or drink alcohol etc. I decided that continuing to just “eat healthy” wasn’t going to be enough.

I started to Google things like the best ‘diet’ that I could follow to reduce my cholesterol, at the same time, thinking that I should know this already as I’m a health professional. I came across a few websites advocating a “WFPBNO” diet, which I had never heard of before but found very intriguing.

What appealed most to me The things that appealed to me the most were that it seemed easy to follow. I didn’t have to avoid specific vegetables or fruits, I didn’t have to measure anything or count calories, and I could eat as many ‘carbs’ as I wanted, such as oats, potatoes, brown rice etc. which would keep me full. This was important to me as I had noticed myself being very hungry being a breastfeeding mum, and couldn’t imagine that a low-carb diet of lettuce and chicken would keep me full.

Over the next three months, I transitioned to a WFPBNO diet.

I stopped eating eggs, butter, yoghurt, cheese, milk and meat

My name is Anna Toby, and I’m here to share with you my success story about my transition to a whole food, plant-based, no oil (WFPBNO) lifestyle. I am 35 years old and work as a Clinical Pharmacist in a hospital.

for Anna products and started cooking without oil. Coming from an Italian background, this was a very foreign concept, as we tend to put olive oil on everything!

At first, cooking onions without oil in the pan seemed really weird, but I actually prefer it now. About the only thing I struggle with is roast vegetables. To me, they are just not the same without a little bit of oil to make them a bit crispy on the outside!

I have been quite strict and tried to maintain this way of eating for the last few months, other than the occasional bite of my husband’s food, or a small piece of chocolate or homemade cake here and there. At my 3-month follow up, I recently found out that my total cholesterol was down to 5.3!

Doctor surprised and impressed My doctor was surprised and impressed that I was able to lower my cholesterol so much in such a short time. I am definitely going to keep up with this way of eating, I feel better and am actually preferring to avoid meat and dairy products. I have dropped below my pre-pregnancy weight, and no longer find myself bloated, which was a problem I always experienced and could never work out why, or put down to a particular food.

My tastebuds have definitely changed, and I am finding a new appreciation for simpler meals made without oil, butter and cheese. I have increased the amount of carbohydrates and starches in my diet by eating more rice, potatoes, wholemeal or legume pasta, and quinoa.

I have to say I have never eaten as many potatoes in my entire life as I always avoided them, thinking they would make me fat! I eat a lot more legumes than I did before, and I have also increased the amount of fresh vegetables that I eat on a daily basis.

Breakfast is now a HUGE bowl of oats topped with chia seeds, flax meal, psyllium, and a few walnuts, and made with boiling water and a dash of plant milk. Lunch consists either of leftovers,

"I had a significant risk of a major cardiovascular event (heart attact or stroke) within the next three years. I pleaded with my doctor to give me a chance to lower my cholesterol using diet." a sandwich or wrap with homemade hummus, a veggie bowl (rice or quinoa with chickpeas, whatever veggies are in the fridge and tahini dressing or hummus), or my new favourite, microwaved potatoes and vegetables. Dinner hasn’t changed much, I still make homemade soup or a curry or stew, but just omit the meat.

My husband has been very supportive, and will usually eat what I eat but perhaps with a side of meat or chicken. Sometimes I cook separate meals, and when I do, I do so in bulk so that it will last us each of us a few days. Luckily neither of us are too fussed to eat the same thing for a few meals in a row. I always loved cooking, but now I am really enjoying finding new WFPBNO recipes. I Google a lot of recipes or otherwise simply adapt meals that I made before to have no oil or animal products.

Strict effort pays off Most people I have told about my WFPBNO journey are amazed at my success, but say that they wouldn’t or couldn’t change their eating habits – as they couldn’t imagine life without cheese for example. Honestly, I never imagined my life without cheese (or butter) either, but I also did not imagine that I would need to be medicated for high cholesterol at the age of 35 either.

This has definitely been a positive experience, one which I plan to continue. I sometimes think it would be easier just to resume my previous way of eating. Still, I have to remember the consequences – it’s not just me I have to worry about now, I have my son, and hopefully, now I’ll have much less chance of dying of a heart attack within the next five years!

I still occasionally test my blood sugar and am pleased (and sometimes surprised) that my glucose levels two hours after meals are perfectly within range. Moving forward, I am keen to learn more about the nutritional aspect of this way of eating, including the intricacies of how a plant-based diet can help reverse diabetes, high cholesterol and heart disease.

Thank you all for reading my story, and I hope that this can motivate you in some way to continue a whole food, plant-based lifestyle.

wholefoodliving.life | Winter, 2020

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Black bean stuffed kumara This dish is so filling and bursting with flavour.

INGREDIENTS 4 ½ cup 1 tsp ½ tsp ½ ¼ cup ½ cup ¼ tsp ¼ tsp ¼ tsp ½ tsp 1 tbsp 1 cup

medium, large kumara Deb Plowman's white sauce (pg 26) lime juice ground black pepper med red onion (diced) red capsicum (diced) tinned corn (drained) garlic powder cumin powder chilli powder smoked paprika nutritional yeast black beans (drained and rinsed)

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METHOD 1. Preheat oven to 180°C 2. Place the kumara on a baking tray lined with baking paper. Bake for 55 mins or until a fork can easily penetrate the flesh.

3. Mix lime juice, and black pepper with the cashew sauce.

4. While the kumara is cooking add a small amount of water/vege stock to a pan and fry the onion and capsicum. Saute for 5 mins. Add the spices and stir for 3 mins. Finally add the black beans toss to combine and simmer for a further 5 mins.

5. Once the kumara is cooked, leave to cool slightly then cut the kumara open and with a fork scrap the flesh to loosen.

6. Evenly spread the black bean mix and white sauce over the top of the kumara.

7. Top with coriander and serve.

A tale of loss and silver linings F

or my wife Sara and I, this year began with the loss of our home to the bushfires raging throughout New South Wales in January. We found our forever home in a silent bushland setting and had lived there for about a year when the fires swept through.

My name is Gerald Haslinger and I am a psychologist and mental health educator based in Bowral, New South Wales. I chose to close my psychology practice temporarily to allow myself some time to recover but then COVID-19 swept into our world in March, resulting in the loss of my other business, delivering mental health training in the corporate sector. Wow, I had thought my businesses were recession proof, and perhaps they are, but they are certainly not pandemic proof.

The third loss we experienced was the death of my maternal grandmother, who lives with my extended family in Austria, in early June. As we were scrambling to organise flights to attend the funeral, we were advised that given the current restrictions on international travel by the Australian government, only my mother would be permitted to travel to Austria and she would have to spend 14 days in hotel quarantine on her return. Enough!

The challenges we have experienced this year pushed us to the brink. In an effort to cope with the grief that 2020 brought, we had been self-medicating with foods rich in sugar and fat and red wine because that’s what we do to cope, right? We knew something had to change and, in an attempt to salvage our mental health, we connected with a Sydney GP who my wife knew could help us detox from fat and sugar and clean up our diet.

On another but related front, weight has been an issue for me since I was 12 years old and during the last 36 years, I have tried every mainstream diet that has been promoted. There has always been some success but as we know, diets do not work in the long run, so that was always followed by a return of all the lost weight, and then some.

So, this Sydney GP we saw was a life saver. I didn’t know it at the time but after we detoxed successfully, what he was prescribing for us was pretty much a whole food plant-based (WFPB) approach to our eating. He did allow some meat occasionally but we’d done some research and decided we liked what we read about the WFPB approach to eating and embraced it fully. In the last two months, my weight has reduced by 13.5kg and since my peak weight about 12 months ago, it has reduced by 17.8kg so far and I feel great.

My wife didn’t have much weight to shed but is also feeling great. For my wife the mental health impact has been significant as she reports the greatest change being a calm and gentler mind.

We will never go back to our old way of eating and are happy to say we no longer consume any meat, dairy products, refined sugars, processed grains, caffeine or alcohol.

What I have found amazing about the WFPB approach to eating is the freedom. The absence of quantity restrictions is one of the key aspects of this approach that I think has made it work for us.

We make a massive salad most nights including fresh salad and steamed vegetables with a simple dressing and we can eat as much as we like – wow, what a recipe for success. We have a new and vibrant relationship to fruit, unlike the restrictions of the past.

The impact has been so profound for me that I am shifting

my entire work focus towards supporting the promotion of a WFPB food lifestyle more broadly in our community. I can’t say diet because that word is synonymous with failure and lack of eating, whereas the WFPB approach is full of success and an abundance of food. I am working with local nutritionists who are also supportive of this way of thinking about food and how we eat and I am also completing post-graduate nutrition studies through Deakin University in Melbourne.

In the coming months, I plan to open the Highlands Whole Food Institute in the Southern Highlands which will promote a WFPB food lifestyle locally. We will conduct research into the impact this way of eating has on people’s physical and mental health. We will work to support people’s physical and psychological health, helping them to understand why we eat the way we do and how change can be done with lots of food.

We will be working one on one with people wanting assistance to manage their weight effectively or who are struggling with challenges such as cardiovascular disease, or type 2 diabetes.

We will work with people considering bariatric surgery who are curious about whether there is another way. We will be conducting immersion retreats where people new to this way of living can come and spend a week cooking and eating WFPB dishes.

We will promote healthy eating in our local community and build relationships with local suppliers of organic fruit and vegetables.

We will sell those fruit and vegetable products at an affordable price to the local community to help spread the word regarding the benefits of a WFPB eating lifestyle. We will operate a café and restaurant serving only truly WFPB dishes with the aim of providing affordable and tasty examples of WFPB dishes.

We will operate online and face to face support groups for those wishing to adopt this way of eating and run free public information sessions for those curious about what WFPB actually means and how it’s different from vegetarianism or veganism. There are lots of exciting projects coming up.

So, whilst 2020 has included some of the most challenging events I and my family have ever experienced, there are several clear silver linings for me. The focus of my working life has changed radically to working with people struggling with weight management and promoting a healthier, WFPB, approach to eating, in my local area. What a way to spend my days, helping people take control of their struggle with food and weight management. In addition, we will be rebuilding our family home in the Southern Highlands at a time when our whole community recovers from the impact of COVID-19. What a year 2020 has been so far and what exciting times lay ahead.

For more information on our upcoming activities, please get in touch anytime by calling 1800 50 40 20 or by visiting my practice website, www.recoverysupportcentres.com.au. Soon we will launch a new website covering all of the projects happening in the Highlands Whole Food Institute.

wholefoodliving.life | Winter, 2020

37

I

n Australia, more than 1.1 million people currently have type 2 diabetes. A host of potential complications associated with the disease mean a 45-year-old diagnosed with type 2 diabetes will live on average six years less than someone without type 2 diabetes.

Recently we published a report bringing together the latest evidence on the health consequences of type 2 diabetes.

Aside from demonstrating the complications we know well – like the link between diabetes and heart disease risk – our report highlights some newer evidence that suggests type 2 diabetes is associated with an increased risk of cancer and dementia.

Common complications Type 2 diabetes, which typically develops after the age of 40, is usually due to a combination of the pancreas failing to produce enough of the hormone insulin, and the cells in the body failing to adequately respond to insulin.

Since insulin is the key regulator of blood glucose (sugar), this causes a rise in the blood sugar levels.

Risk factors for developing type 2 diabetes include being overweight, being physically inactive, having a poor diet, high blood pressure and family history of type 2 diabetes.

People with type 2 diabetes are about twice as likely to develop heart disease than people without type 2 diabetes.

While heart attacks, due to blockages in the coronary arteries, are perhaps the better recognised form of heart disease, heart failure, where the heart muscle is unable to pump enough blood around the body, is becoming more common, especially in people with type 2 diabetes.

This is due to a number of factors, including better treatment and prevention of heart attacks, which has allowed more people to survive long enough to develop heart failure.

People with type 2 diabetes are up to eight times more likely to develop heart failure compared to those without diabetes.

Meanwhile, diabetes is the most common cause of kidney failure and vision loss in working age adults, and accounts for more than 50% of foot and leg amputations.

But beyond these common and familiar complications of diabetes, there’s mounting evidence to suggest type 2 diabetes increases the risk of other diseases.

Emerging complications People with type 2 diabetes are approximately two times more likely to develop pancreatic, endometrial and liver cancer, have a 30% higher chance of

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Type 2 Diabetes

The disease that breeds disease

The following article was written by researchers Rachel Climie, exercise Physiologist and Research Fellow at Baker Heart and Diabetes Institute and Johathan Shaw, Deputy Director, Baker Heart and Diabetes Institute. It was first published in The Conversation and is republished here under the Creative Commons Licence. getting bowel cancer and a 20% increased risk of breast cancer.

Increased cancer risk is of particular concern for the growing number of people under 40 living with type 2 diabetes. In Australia, this group saw a significant increase in deaths from cancer between 2000 and 2011.

Dementia, too, is a recently recognised complication of type 2 diabetes. A meta-analysis involving data from two million people showed people with type 2 diabetes have a 60% greater risk of developing dementia compared to those without diabetes.

Why the increased risk?

It’s important to acknowledge the studies we looked at are observational and can’t tell us diabetes necessarily caused these conditions. But they do suggest having diabetes is associated with an increased risk.

The two leading theories for why cancer risk is increased in people with type 2 diabetes relate to glucose and insulin.

Many types of cancer cells use glucose as a key fuel, so the more glucose in the blood, potentially, the more rapidly cancer will grow.

Alternatively, insulin can promote the growth of cells. And since in the early stages of type 2 diabetes insulin levels are elevated, this might also promote the development of cancer.

There are several possible explanations for the link between diabetes and dementia. First, strokes are more common in people with type 2 diabetes, and both major and repeated mini-strokes can lead to dementia.

Second, diabetes affects the structure and function of the smallest blood vessels throughout the body (the capillaries), including in the brain. This may impair the delivery of nutrients to a person’s brain cells.

Third, high glucose levels and other metabolic disturbances associated with diabetes may, over time, directly affect the way certain types of brain cells function.

Room for improvement Despite well-established recommendations for the management of type 2 diabetes, such as guidelines for medication use, healthy diet and regular physical activity, there remains a significant gap between the evidence and what happens in practice.

A study from the US showed only one in four patients with type 2 diabetes met all the recommended targets for healthy levels of glucose, cholesterol and blood pressure.

Australian data has shown having diabetes is associated with 14% increased likelihood of discontinuing cholesterol medication after one year.

In our report, we showed increasing the use of a range of effective medications would prevent many hundreds of people with diabetes developing heart disease, strokes and kidney failure each year.

With the burden of diabetes complications in our community casting such a large shadow in terms of death rates, disability and impact on the health system, we need greater education and support for people with living diabetes, as well as health professionals treating the condition.

For people with type 2 diabetes, close monitoring for other diseases such as cancer through screening programs is particularly important.

And alongside managing their blood sugar levels, it’s essential Australians with type 2 diabetes are supported to keep risk factors for complications, such as blood pressure and cholesterol, at healthy levels.

A healthy diet and regular physical activity is a good place to start.

T

he article presented on the opposite page is well written from the standard medical perspective.

However, there are problems with this approach, and I would like to illustrate why our profession, as a whole, remains blind to the immense and powerful effect of healthy nutrition.

The first point which leaps out at me is the discussion of the cause of diabetes.

The article states: “Type 2 diabetes, which typically develops after the age of 40, is usually due to a combination of the pancreas failing to produce enough of the hormone insulin, and the cells in the body failing to adequately respond to insulin.”

Most doctors would read that and not bat an eyelid. However, type 2 diabetes develops due to a combination of genetic likelihood and lifestyle factors of which nutrition is the most important with exercise following closely behind.

What happens is that the muscle cells become resistant to insulin and that’s because of intramyocellular lipids (little droplets of fat inside muscle cells) which build up when we eat poorly and these intracellular lipids block the action of insulin. Thus blood sugar rises with its attendant problems. What, in medicine, we call the cause of the disease is actually the process of the disease - when we do that we blind ourselves to the root cause and so it doesn’t enter our thinking.

Usually, the insulin resistance will arise first and will mostly be unnoticeable to a person. The fats from our diet meanwhile, also start to get deposited in the liver (non-alcoholic fatty liver disease) and then into the cells of the pancreas which produce insulin and so begin to impact the production of insulin as well.

Traditional medicine hampered by nutrition blind spot

The themes raised in The Conversation article on Type 2 diabetes strike to the core of WFPB nutritional experience.

The article alerts us to the horrors that await us should we allow this disease to remain unchecked, but there are some much deeper issues involved here. In this requested review, Dr Martyn Williamson of Alexandra examines how standard medical thinking can overlook the real cause.

The article says: “Risk factors for developing type 2 diabetes include being overweight, being physically inactive, having a poor diet, high blood pressure and family history of type 2 diabetes.”

All of these risk factors, save family history, are lifestyle-related with the common denominator of poor nutrition along with reduced exercise.

Explosion in consumption Type 2 diabetes has exploded in prevalence over the last three to four decades, along with the explosion of obesity. This all coincides with significant changes in our diets. Our intake of animal

products has increased massively, along with a comparable rise in the consumption of processed foods.

Many of these have had vegetable oils added to them as well and are high in salt and processed carbohydrates which increases the demand for insulin.

We all like to have a singular cause.

Human beings, especially us doctors it seems, now call the actual cause a risk factor because we can’t distinguish which of the possible causes was significant for any one person. We don’t think of the cause as being the unique combination of factors presenting in the person before us.

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Traditional medicine hampered by nutrition blind spot This is illustrated by the fact that all of the diseases which the article is identifying as being more common in diabetes are also related to nutrition. So we would expect this to be the case if we had focussed on the correct causation in the first place.

The excessive blood sugars of diabetes may also have a role in this to increase the problems. Still, we’re too busy trying to look for the biochemical changes to identify the process involved to step back and notice the wood rather than the trees.

So, you see, the paragraph on possible mechanisms completely misses the point of what changes poor nutrition induces overall.

Treatments not being followed The article also focuses on the fact that many patients with diabetes aren’t following the recommended treatments - this could be related to their doctors not advising them of everything or their reluctance to keep adding medications when they feel reasonably well.

“In our report, we showed increasing the use of a range of effective medications would prevent many hundreds of people with diabetes developing heart disease, strokes and kidney failure each year.”

This paragraph beautifully captures the

result of the standard thinking. We ignore the cause, and we move to medications which try to counteract the processes of diabetes. The more processes we can identify the more medications we can create to try to control the disease. This mindset ignores the causation and as a result, means that cure is not possible.

We can block processes ad infinitum, but we’ll never cure the disease that way.

The article is entirely correct that better use of medications would reduce the complications and impact of the disease.

However, it ignores the fact that we don’t need to have the disease in the first place!

Most of us medics have been taught that type 2 diabetes is essentially incurable.

However, from time to time, there are cases of people reversing the disease with intensive exercise and very close monitoring of diet with calorie counts, carb counts and so on. Unsurprisingly, most people can’t adhere to that regime, especially when they often feel reasonably well in the first place.

Type 2 diabetes is reversible and curable, especially if changes are made early enough. All you have to do is eat a diet of whole plant foods, and in general terms, eat as many calories as you need until you are full. At the same time, you

will be significantly reducing your risk of all those associated diseases and the complications. If you have complications, you can even start to reverse those!

Something which, until I came across WFPB nutrition, I thought was impossible.

Current Type 2 diets unhealthy The article finishes well with a plug for lifestyle changes which, of course, is spot on - but it doesn’t disguise the key message of more medications. You’ll notice that the style of nutrition isn’t actually mentioned at all. Sadly, as it stands at the moment, the standard diets promoted for diabetes allow unhealthy foods and focus on the wrong things, so their effects are limited.

Why would you want to use medications when you can eat your way back to health, and more importantly, why take medications and endure the disease and risks involved while doing the very thing which caused the condition in the first place!

There are many articles, and some good books, explaining why WFPB eating works for this uniquely nutrition-related disease afflicting our society.

One pandemic overshadows another A

midst the current climate of concern, it would be easy to overlook the fact that obesity, like Covid-19, are simultaneous pandemics, warns American health professional, Dr William Dietz.

He says obesity affects every system of the body, is associated with diabetes, cardiovascular disease, cancers and over 240 other serious conditions.

Recent data released by the US Centre for Disease Control and Prevention revealed that 78 per cent of COVID-19 patients requiring admission to an intensive-care unit (ICU) had at least one underlying health condition, many of which were obesity-related diseases.

Also, data from New York City indicates that people with both COVID-19 and obesity are two times more likely to be admitted to hospital, and people with severe obesity are 3.6 times more likely to require critical care.

Covid-19 will likely add to the complications associated with obesity, Dr Dietz says.

"Prior experience suggests that obesity predisposes patients with respiratory viruses to severe illness and higher rates of mortality. For example, obesity and

40 wholefoodliving.life | Winter, 2020

severe obesity were risk factors for hospitalization and mechanical ventilation during the influenza H1N1 virus in 2009."

According to Dr Dietz, the disproportionate impact that H1N1had on patients with obesity and severe obesity may now be occurring in those with COVID-19, especially in cases with severe mixed infections. Factors that may link obesity and COVID-19 severity include reductions in respiratory volume and the inflammation associated with obesity.

He says although COVID-19 demands our attention, we need to remember that chronic diseases put our society at greater risk for poor health "For example, estimates are that the COVID-19 pandemic will cause 100,000– 240,000 deaths in the US However, obesity is estimated to account for over 300,000 deaths per year. Obesity is a pandemic in its own right. Its treatment and prevention, and the prevention of the systemic inequities that contribute to it, must become priorities as we implement our response to COVID-19.

Estimates are that the COVID-19 pandemic will cause up to 240,000 deaths in the US However, obesity is estimated to

account for over 300,000 deaths per year.

Obesity is a pandemic in its own right.

Its treatment and prevention, and the prevention of the systemic inequities that contribute to it, must become priorities as we implement our response to COVID-19."

Dr Dietz is an advocate for policy initiatives that include increased support for community infrastructure for physical activities like walking, biking, and pricing strategies that decrease consumption of ultra-processed foods, ensure equitable access to healthy foods, passing excise taxes on sugary drinks and sustaining healthy standards for school meals.

"In contrast to COVID-19, the obesity pandemic is a longer-term chronic disease, but this difference should not temper the urgency of our response. Hundreds of thousands of lives are at risk."

Adapted from an original article by William Dietz MD, PhD, Director of the Sumner M. Redstone Global Center for Prevention and Wellness at the George Washington University Milken Institute School of Public Health.

Cold parenting and the telomere connection

B

ased on her research with pre-school children in the 60s, psychologist Diana Baumrind identified three types of parenting styles. These were: authoritarian, authoritative and permissive.

Later, other researchers uncovered a new set of uninvolved parents that seemed emotionally distant from their children.

They classed them as 'cold', and the term cold parenting was born.

Cold parents, while still providing the basic necessities of food and shelter are generally uninvolved with their children.

The degree of involvement can vary considerably. Some could be classed as relatively hands-off while others would generally be considered downright neglectful providing little in the way of guidance or affection.

Now, new research out of California's Loma Linda University Health, suggests that unsupportive parenting styles may have several negative health implications for children, even into their adult years.

The study found that the telomeres — protective caps on the ends of the strands of DNA — of subjects who considered their

mothers' parenting style as "cold" were on average 25% smaller compared to those who reported having a mother whose parenting style they considered "warm."

Research has found that early-life stress is associated with shorter telomeres, a measurable biomarker of accelerated cellular ageing and increased disease risk later in life.

"Telomeres have been called a genetic clock, but we now know that as early life stress increases, telomeres shorten and the risk of a host of diseases increases, as well as premature death," said Raymond Knutsen, MD, MPH, lead author of the study and associate professor at Loma Linda University School of Public Health.

"We know that each time a cell divides, the telomeres shorten, which shortens its lifespan."

Interestingly, mutations in genes maintaining telomeres cause a group of rare diseases resembling premature ageing. "However, we know that some cells in the body produce an enzyme called telomerase, which can rebuild these telomeres," Knutsen said.

The study, titled, "Cold parenting is

associated with cellular ageing in offspring: A retrospective study," uses data from 200 subjects who participated in two prospective cohort studies of Seventh-day Adventist men and women: the Adventist Health Study-1 (AHS-1) with 34,000 Californians in 1976 and AHS-2 with 96,000 subjects from the United States and Canada in 2002-2007.

The research takes a closer look at the impact parenting style has on telomere succession. "The way someone is raised seems to tell a story that is intertwined with their genetics," Knutsen said.

The study also examined the impact that education and body mass index (BMI) may have on the association between cold parenting and telomere length.

"The association with parenting style was greatest among those with less education, and those who stayed overweight/obese or put on weight during follow-up, suggesting both higher education and normal BMI may provide some resilience against cold parenting and cellular ageing," the findings stated.

wholefoodliving.life | Winter, 2020

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Ca

s Cashew nut sauce 42 wholefoodliving.life | Winter, 2020

ream our c s w he

n Aioli a g Ve

Cashew sour cream Very quick to make. Great as is or as a base to add other ingredients to. Make a raft of different sauces, eg. a tbsp of maple syrup with a dash of vanilla for a sweet fruit topping.

A sprinkle of smoked paprika and some pine nuts would be niced to.

INGREDIENTS 1 cup 1/2 cup 1 tbsp 3/4 tsp

raw cashew nuts water lemon juice apple cider vinegar

METHOD 1. Soak cashews in hot water for 10 mins then drain.

2. Add cashews with all other ingredients into a blender and blend until smooth. Stop occasionally to scrap the sides.

3. If needed add more water in small amount do get your desired consistency.

4. Place in the fridge for at least an hour before using allowing the mix to thicken.

Vegan Cheesy Sauce This creamy sauce can top nacho's, added to crepe / omelete mixes or help make a yummy mac and cheese.

INGREDIENTS

Vegan Aioli Yes we all love our aioli, this simple recipe only takes a couple of minutes to prepare.

Great for spreads or dropping onto nachos or baked potatoes, the uses are endless.

INGREDIENTS 1 cup 3/4 cup 2-3 2 tsp 1 tsp 1/2 1 tsp 1 tbsp

raw cashew nuts water garlic cloves (peeled) dijon mustard wholegrain mustard juice from one lemon apple cider vinegar nutritional yeast (optional)

METHOD 1. Simply place all ingredients into a blender and blend until creamy. Taste and add more of any of the ingredients above to achieve your preferred flavour.

2. Can be eaten immediately or placed into the fridge in an airtight container for up to a week.

1/2 cup 1 lrg 1 sml 2 med 2 1 cup 1/2 tsp 1 tsp 1 tbsp 1/2 tbsp 1 tsp 1 1/2 cups

nutritional yeast carrot (diced) brown onion (diced) potatoes (diced) cloves garlice (minced) raw cashews ground black pepper dry ground mustard lime juice tamari sauce smoked paprika plant-based milk

METHOD 1. Soak cashews in hot water for 10 mins then drain.

2. In a pot boil the potatoes and carrots until soft.

3. At the same time, in a sml amount of vege stock or water, fry the brown onion and garlic.

4. Once potatoes and carrots are soft and the onion is transparent, remove from heat and allow to cool.

5. Add all ingredients to a high speed blender.

Blend until all is combined and the mix is smooth.

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How plant-based diets prevent cardiovascular disease T

here are several ways in which plant-based diets modify the risk of cardiovascular disease and its main risk factors. At the core of cardiovascular disease is the development of atherosclerosis — the build up of plaque inside the arteries.

These plaques are made up predominantly of fat, cholesterol and calcium. Over time, these plaques harden, narrow the arteries, limit blood flow to the organs and give rise to symptoms in the affected organ. The plaque can also rupture, leading to myocardial infarction (heart attack).

It is now recognised that atherosclerosis appears to be the result of oxidative damage to the endothelial cells that line the blood vessels. The damage to the endothelial layer of arteries begins with inflammation caused by oxidative stress, which is a result of oxidised low-density lipoproteins penetrating the endothelial layer. This process leads on to the development of atherosclerotic plaques.

Cardiovascular risk factors are influenced by diet in a number of ways.

Hypertension A persistent elevation in blood pressure (hypertension) is the second most important known global risk factor for chronic disease after poor diet. In the UK, high blood pressure is the third most important risk factor for chronic disease after tobacco smoking and poor diet.

44 wholefoodliving.life | Winter, 2020

Over the years, several studies have confirmed the value of eating plant-based meals, but there is not a lot of general knowledge in the community about how deeply this affects our health. Here UK doctor, Shireen Kassam, reviews the evidence on dietary change as it affects one of our sneakiest modern killers, cardiovascular disease.

High blood pressure is, however, the single most important risk factor for cardiovascular disease and related disability and increases the risk of stroke, ischaemic heart disease and heart failure.

Almost 1 in 3 adults will be diagnosed with hypertension. Plant-based diets (both vegetarian and vegan) have been shown to be effective at maintaining a normal blood, especially if the diet is also low / avoids added salt.

In the Adventist Health Study-2 and the EPIC-Oxford, vegetarians and vegans have the lowest risk of hypertension (up to 60% reduced risk compared with omnivores). In fact, the DASH diet specifically designed for treating hypertension was inspired by the blood pressure lowering effects of a vegetarian diet.

However, a vegetarian diet was not deemed to be universally acceptable, animal-derived foods are permitted in the DASH diet. Plant-based diet patterns are able to lower blood pressure in individuals with hypertension to a greater

extent than most blood pressure lowering medications.

A healthy plant-based diet contains foods that are known to maintain a blood pressure in the normal range. These include whole grains, which in randomised studies have been shown to significantly lower blood pressure. Nitrate-rich vegetables can be converted to nitric oxide in the body, which is required to maintain the health of arteries and results in dilatation of blood vessels thus reducing blood pressure and the risk of cardiovascular disease.

Leafy green vegetables but also beetroot have a high nitrate content. In fact, a randomised study of beetroot juice, showed that its consumption could lead to a reduction in blood pressure to the same magnitude as medication.

High salt intake is a major risk factor for hypertension. Salt in the diet mainly comes from processed and prepared foods, meat and restaurant foods. Salt is made up of around 40% sodium and 60% chloride.

Sodium is an essential nutrient but adequate amounts can be obtained from whole plant foods. The overconsumption of sodium from the diet leads to water retention and a rise in blood pressure.

It also damages the endothelial lining of blood vessels. Thus a plant-based diet helps to maintain sodium consumption at a healthful level, which should not exceed 1500mg (3/4 teaspoon of salt) if hypertension is an issue and really this is applicable to those without hypertension, regardless of current guidelines.

An easy to follow rule when checking food labels is that if the sodium content in milligrams is greater than the calorie content in kcal, then that’s too much. Aim to keep sodium intake in milligrams less than or at least no more that the total number of calories (kcal) eaten in a day.

In fact, a healthy plant-based diet is

beneficial for blood pressure because of the abundant potassium content, a nutrient that the majority of individuals on a Western-style diet are low in. Potassium is necessary for maintaining muscle function but also relaxing blood vessels.

Regular consumption of flaxseeds (linseed) has also been shown to significantly lower pressure in randomised studies. The beneficial amount is about 30g per day.

Blood cholesterol High blood cholesterol is a significant risk factor for cardiovascular disease, especially if LDL-cholesterol is high.

The main driver for increased cholesterol levels is the consumption of saturated fat and to some extent dietary cholesterol (both found in animal-derived foods). Mechanisms by which saturated fat elevates LDL cholesterol is by stimulating its production and reducing turnover by reducing LDL receptor activity and protein abundance, thus elevating blood levels.

Unsaturated fatty acids do the opposite.

Plant-based diets have been shown to reduce blood cholesterol levels as effectively as first line statin medications.

In the Adventist Health Studies and EPICOxford study, vegans have the lowest blood cholesterol of all diet patterns.

It is also interesting to note that conventional guidelines have recommended the consumption of ‘white’ meat rather than ‘red’ meat for lower cholesterol levels. However, a recent study tested the effects of different sources of protein on blood cholesterol level.

Dr Shireen Kassam plantbasedhealthprofessionals.com Participants were randomly assigned to a diet high in protein from red meat, white meat and plants and with high or low amounts of saturated fat. Each participant had four weeks on each diet with a washout period in-between.

The results showed that both red and white meat consumption elevated blood cholesterol levels to a similar degree, independently of saturated fat consumption, whereas the diet composed of plant protein did not elevate blood cholesterol levels.

The conclusion The authors concluded ‘The findings are in keeping with recommendations promoting diets with a high proportion of plant-based food but, based on lipid and lipoprotein effects, do not provide evidence for choosing white over red meat

for reducing CVD risk’.

A key step in the process of developing atherosclerosis and heart disease is penetration of cholesterol into the arterial wall, which sets up an inflammatory reaction. Cholesterol is carried around the body by lipoproteins such as low density lipoprotein (LDL) and high density lipoprotein (HDL).

However, there are subtypes of these lipoproteins.

For example, LDL can be small, dense LDL or large LDL and it is the small/dense LDL that is most associated with the risk of heart disease. In addition, the number of LDL particles is also important in predicting heart disease.

For example, the same amount of cholesterol in the blood can be carried by a high number of small LDL particles or a small number of large particles. The number of LDL particles in the blood can be estimated by measuring apolipoprotein B (ApoB) levels. Each LDL particle has one ApoB protein, so the higher the number, the higher the LDL particle number.

Atherosclerosis results from the infiltration of apoB-containing lipoprotein particles into the coronary artery wall and hence it seems that measuring apoB in the blood is a better predictor of heart disease than measuring LDL-cholesterol, although this testing is not routinely performed.

This argument goes some way to explaining why there are doctors who state that the blood cholesterol and LDLcholesterol levels are not important and not a good predictor of heart disease.

We can all think of examples of people

wholefoodliving.life | Winter, 2020

45

How plant-based diets prevent CVD that have a high blood cholesterol and do not have heart disease and those with a normal cholesterol that have had a heart attack. It is likely that this is down to differences in the level of small/dense LDL and apoB levels. A plant-based/vegan diet has also been shown to be effective at lowering apoB levels.

The totality of the data points to blood cholesterol being the only direct risk factor for atherosclerosis; that is a high blood cholesterol level MUST be present for atherosclerosis to develop.

If the serum total cholesterol is 2.3â&#x20AC;&#x201C;3.6mmol/L and LDL-cholesterol 1.3â&#x20AC;&#x201C;1.8mmol/L it seems that atherosclerotic disease does not develop. In addition, atherosclerosis does not progress when total cholesterol is 3.9mmol/L and LDL-cholesterol is <1.8mmol/L. A whole food plant-based diet is much more likely to achieve these cholesterol levels. It is also worth noting that plantbased diets often lead to a fall in HDLcholesterol, but this does not seem to be of detriment given the significant fall in total and LDL-cholesterol that occurs.

Thre are various mechanisms by which plant-based diets maintain a healthy blood cholesterol level. This includes; the avoidance of cholesterol/saturated fat in the diet; the high fibre consumption, which reduces the absorption of fat from the diet; the consumption of plant sterols (equivalent of plant cholesterol as emphasised in the Portfolio diet) binds dietary cholesterol and prevents absorption. The effects of a plant-based or vegan diet are less significant on triglyceride levels.

Inflammation Plant-based diets reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease by reducing inflammation and oxidative stress.

In general, meat-based diets result in higher levels of inflammation and oxidative stress for a number of reasons.

This includes the consumption of haem iron found mainly in animal foods, which can generate reactive oxygen species and result in oxidative stress.

Nitrates and nitrites in processed meat generate N-nitroso compounds, including nitrosamine, which create reactive oxygen species and oxidative stress and impair the function of blood vessels.

One measure of inflammation is high sensitivity CRP (hsCRP).

There is a direct correlation between the level of hsCRP and the risk of

46 wholefoodliving.life | Winter, 2020

cardiovascular disease in men and women.

So, researchers have tried to combat atherosclerosis with drugs that reduce inflammation.

One such drug is canakinumab, which blocks interleukin-1 beta. In patients with prior myocardial infarction the drug was able to significantly reduce the level of hsCRP and the risk of further cardiovascular events. This was at the cost of an increased risk of fatal infection.

A vegan diet is also effective at reducing inflammation as determined by hsCRP levels. The open-label, blinded endpoint, EVADE CAD (Effects of a Vegan versus the American Heart Association Recommended Diet in Coronary Artery Disease) trial, randomised 100 participants with coronary artery disease to eight weeks of a vegan or American Heart Association recommended diet with provision of groceries, tools to measure dietary intake, and dietary counselling.

After eight weeks, those on a vegan diet had a 32% greater reduction in the level of hsCRP compared to those on the AHA diet.

This is not dissimilar to the reduction seen with canakinumab! However, the study was not powered to look at effects on cardiovascular events or survival.

TMAO generation A novel mechanism is the generation of trimethylamine N- oxide (TMAO), when meat-based diets are consumed.

Choline and carnitine, compounds derived mainly from animal foods (red meat, poultry, fish and eggs) are converted by gut microbes to trimethylamine (TMA).

TMA is then converted to TMAO by the liver.

TMAO is thought to increase the risk of cardiovascular disease (both heart disease and stroke) by its effects on cholesterol and sterol metabolism, promoting inflammation and by making platelets more reactive thus increasing blood clotting. People eating a vegan diet donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have the bacteria necessary to produce TMA even if they are fed meat!

Epithelial lining damage Saturated fat from animal-derived foods damages the epithelial lining of the gut and allows endotoxin, including lipopolysaccharides (from the bacterial contamination of meat) into the blood, resulting in inflammation, including within arteries.

High TG levels High blood triglyceride (TG) levels

increase the risk of cardiovascular disease.

When you eat, your body converts any excess calories into triglycerides.

The triglycerides are stored in fat cells.

Later, hormones release triglycerides for energy between meals.When the fat cells get very full, there is spill over of TGs into the blood. There are a number factors that affect TGs levels and cause an elevation.

Lifestyle-related factors include diet, alcohol consumption and physical activity.

Being overweight and over-consuming calories will increase TG levels. Other causes of elevated TGs include the presence of chronic disease (e.g. thyroid and kidney problems) and a number of prescribed medications.

When it comes to diet, a plant-based or vegan diet has not consistently resulted in a reduction in TG levels, although in general, those consuming a plant-based diet are more likely to have TG levels in the desired range.

In fact, a Mediterranean diet may be better at reducing TG levels as shown in the CARDIVEG study. In addition, avoiding refined carbohydrates, including refined sugars and grains, are equally important for maintaining normal TG levels.

Lifestyle intervention Gene expression has been shown to change with lifestyle interventions.

A prospective study of 63 participants who either had established coronary artery disease or at least two risk factors for coronary artery disease and undertook intensive lifestyle interventions, including a low fat vegetarian diet (similar to that used by Dr Dean Ornish), physical activity, stress management and regular support groups were compared to 63 matched control participants.

After one year the results showed that intensive lifestyle interventions could also modulate gene expression in peripheral blood, favourably altering the expression of genes involved in the immune function, lipid metabolism, blood pressure regulation, inflammation and oxidative stress.

This study demonstrates, that despite the inheritability of genes that may increase the risk of cardiovascular disease, it is possible to alter their expression thus modifying the risk of developing the cardiovascular disease.

There are a multitude of reasons why a plant-based diet is best for prevention and treatment of cardiovascular disease.

It addresses the root cause of the disease without the side-effects of medication.

Vegetable Pad Thai This dish brings together a whole group of flavours that really tempt your taste buds.

INGREDIENTS 1 packet 225 grams 1/2 tsp 1/4 tsp 2 tbsp 2 tbsp 1 tbsp 1 tbsp 2 tsp 1/3 cup 1 2 2 tsp 1/4 cup 1/2 cup 3 2 tsp 2 cups 1

pad thai noodles extra firm tofu turmeric powder black pepper soy sauce tomato sauce hoisin sauce rice wine vinegar garlic chilli sauce vege stock brown onion (diced) cloves garlic (minced) fresh ginger (minced) frozen shelled edamame bean sprouts green onion peanuts (chopped) bok choy (chopped) lime

METHOD 1. Cook noodles to packet instructions and set aside.

2. Create tofu scramble: Heating a fry pan and adding a small amount of vege stock or water.

Crumble the tofu into the pan then add the turmeric and pepper and combine. Once heated through remove from pan and set aside.

3. Next using the same pan cook the onion with the garlic and ginger in a small amount of stock or water. Add mushroom and red capsicum once onion is transparent. Once heated through remove from pan and set aside.

4. In the same pan combine all the sauces. Then add the all vegetables mixing into the sauce.

5. Next mix in the noodles and tofu scramble. Heat through before serving.

6. On serving top with coriander, chopped peanuts and bean sprouts. Add segmented lime to the side of the plate to squeeze over the dish.

wholefoodliving.life | Winter, 2020

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But what about vitamin supplements?

C

alcium supplements have “little place” in modern medical practice, say the authors of a research review published in the Medical Journal of Australia.

Professor Ian Reid and Associate Professor Mark Bolland, of the University of Auckland, reviewed the evidence of both efficacy and safety of calcium supplements, and vitamin D supplements.

“The use of calcium supplements in individuals without specific bone pathology does not have a sound evidence base, and the safety concerns suggest that the net effect could be negative,” they wrote.

Calcium supplements are frequently associated with gastrointestinal symptoms, particularly constipation, and they have also been reported to double the risk of hospital admissions related to abdominal symptoms.

“In the Women’s Health Initiative study, calcium and vitamin D increased the risk of renal calculi (kidney stones) by 17 per cent.

There is evidence that calcium supplements increase the risk of myocardial infarction and, possibly, stroke, although this remains subject to controversy,” they wrote.

Vitamin D supplements rarely cause symptomatic adverse effects, but there is evidence that vitamin D doses of 4000 IU/ day, 60 000 IU/month, or 300 000–500 000 IU/year may increase the risk of falls and/or fractures. At lower levels -- doses of 400–1000 IU/day – bone benefits from vitamin D are met, therefore, the use of higher doses is not appropriate.

There are conditions for which calcium and vitamin D supplements are appropriate.

“There are some medical conditions, such as osteomalacia, for which calcium and vitamin D supplements are central to management,” the authors stated.

“Their use as adjunctive therapy in osteoporosis has been the convention, but … there is little evidence that this alters outcomes.

“In summary, small doses of vitamin D have a place in the prevention of osteomalacia in individuals with specific risk factors. Calcium supplements have very little place in contemporary medical practice.”

48 wholefoodliving.life | Winter, 2020

You do not need to drink milk to get enough calcium.

You will not make your bones stronger by drinking milk.

I

f you don’t believe these statements, don’t worry, you are not alone. Seventy years of marketing has convinced most health professionals that dairy foods, or a high-calcium substitute, are essential for human health.

This is a rather narrow nutritional view when one considers that cow’s milk is only consumed by a minority of the world’s population, and for a relatively short period of human history. Most of the world’s population, including the majority of those of Asian or African descent, are lactose intolerant and suffer abdominal pain and diarrhoea if they drink milk.

An essential nutrient While it is true that dairy foods are rich in calcium and that calcium is an essential nutrient for bone health, increased dairy consumption is not associated with stronger bones. In fact, a large Swedish study (Michaelsson et al 2014) found that higher milk consumption was associated with a higher rate of hip fractures (as well as a higher mortality rate). The higher prevalence of osteoporosis in countries

that consume more dairy foods suggests that dairy products are not an effective preventative strategy.

Like other minerals, calcium comes from the ground. Plants absorb it and animals in turn eat plants. Cows get their calcium from the grass. We can obtain all our calcium needs from whole plant foods, many of which have moderately high calcium levels.

Some vegetables have a higher “nutrient density” for calcium than dairy foods (see Nutrient Density page). Interestingly, calcium is better absorbed from vegetables than milk, over 50% vs 32%. Many whole plant foods are rich in calcium – a cup of chopped kale, for example, provides as much absorbable calcium as a cup of milk.

Dairy (and ‘dairy alternatives’) has its own food group in the Australian Dietary Guidelines but this is no longer the case for the Canadian dietary guidelines. A liberal interpretation of ‘dairy alternatives’ might include beans, greens and other high calcium whole plant foods. A plantbased ‘milk’ with a similar calcium content to cow’s milk is not necessary. Indeed, it has been argued that a more appropriate

Confusion, marketing & calcium where less means a whole lot more

By Dr Malcolm Mackay & Jenny Cameron www.wholefoodsplantbasedhealth.com.au

comparator for plant ‘milks’ is human breast milk which has only a third of the calcium content of cow’s milk.

The recommended daily intake for calcium in Australia is extraordinarily high, up to 1300mg per day, a level which few people reach. It remains to be seen whether this will be revised in future guidelines given the evidence that high dietary calcium intakes are not protective against osteoporosis (Bolland et al 2015).

The World Health Organization (2004) notes that calcium needs are increased by high intakes of animal protein and sodium.

Melbourne based Jenny Cameron and Dr Malcolm MacKay have been reviewing the science of dietary calcium for many years. On their website they provide an interactive table showing how easy it is to get enough calcium on a whole food plant-based diet by listing some of the typical foods we eat in a day and their calcium content. "We were very modest with the serving sizes and we actually eat a lot more than this in a day," Jenny says. They also question WHO's viewpoint the RDI levels for calcium and discuss Dietary animal protein increases urinary research showing that those on plantloss of calcium and at very high protein based diets do not need to aim for intakes it can be difficult to absorb enough calcium to offset losses. WHO suggests a such high intake levels. lower calcium requirement where animal protein intake is lower, and if sodium intakes were also lower as in developing countries then the calcium requirement would be even lower, e.g. 450mg (WHO 2004, p. 82).

A study of older Chinese men and women on a “plant-based diet” in the Journal of Bone and Mineral Research (Fang et al. 2016) suggested there was an

optimal range for calcium intake, and that both very low and very high intakes were associated with higher fracture rates. It may surprise you to learn that this range of optimal intakes was 250-650mg/day for women and 275-780mg/day for men.

In the discussion the authors suggest that policy makers rethink the dietary reference intakes for calcium and the

policy of milk promotion in developing countries. These results provide evidence that older Chinese men and women eating a plant-based diet may require half as much calcium than their Western counterparts for fracture prevention – approximately 400mg per day. A typical whole foods plant based diet provides at least 500mg of calcium per day and more often 700800g without having to reach for calcium fortified foods.

Calcium supplements are not effective in preventing osteoporosis and clinical trials have observed an increase in kidney stones and cardiovascular events.

Australian doctors are now being urged to consider the risks and benefits before recommending calcium tablets.

Osteoporosis is not caused by calcium deficiency and it is not prevented by calcium supplements. See Osteoporosis page (under construction). Getting enough calcium on a dairy-free diet of whole plant foods is a non-issue and there is no need to consume plant ‘milks’ for calcium.

The bottom line is that you don’t need to go out of your way to consume calcium fortified foods – just eat a variety of unprocessed whole plant foods and you get more than enough calcium.

wholefoodliving.life | Winter, 2020

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T H E D OCUMENTARY

Emmy-nominated filmmaker Michal Siewieski has embarked on an audacious journey to expose the real reasons behind the Amazon forest fires and the alarming rate of deforestation in Brazil, the world's largest exporter of beef.

Takeout features interviews with renowned scientists, politicians, and activists. They weave a complex narrative that exposes the bad actors conspiring to line their pockets at the expense of our ecosystem.

Produced in collaboration with music icon and activist, Moby, and entrepreneur and activist Peter Eastwood, this movie highlights how corporate greed, global food consumption, and political corruption create conditions that are irreparably harming our ecosystem.

Available on Amazon and iTunes

50 wholefoodliving.life | Winter, 2020

Obesity compounds COVID risk A

Study finds cooked tomatoes may reduce cancer risk C

anned and cooked tomatoes may reduce the risk of prostate cancer according to a recent study conducted by researchers at Loma Linda University Health.

Tomato Consumption and Intake of Lycopene as Predictors of the Incidence of Prostate Cancer: The Adventist Health Study-2, published in Cancer Causes and Control, found that men who consumed canned and cooked tomatoes 5 to 6 times per week had a 28% decreased risk of prostate cancer compared with men who never consumed this food.

First author of the paper, Gary Fraser, MBChB, PhD, said the effect was still significant even after adjusting for a number of potential confounders, including ethnicity, education, obesity, exercise levels, alcohol consumption and others.

“Interestingly, the decreased risk was only seen in those men who ate canned and cooked tomatoes,” Fraser said.

To examine how tomato consumption might impact the development of prostate cancer, the researchers looked for significant relationships between diet and prostate cancer in nearly 28,000 Adventist men in the U.S. All Adventist Health Study participants agree to fill out self-administered food frequency questionnaires reporting their average number of times per week they ate of approximately 200 foods and beverages and serving sizes. After tracking the study’s male participants — all of whom were cancer-free when they enrolled in the project — for nearly eight years, 1,226 of them had been diagnosed with prostate cancer, 355 of those as aggressive cases.

While all tomatoes and tomato-based products contain lycopene, other studies have shown that lycopene is absorbed at different rates depending on the product consumed. Lycopene bioavailability is higher when tomatoes have been heated or cooked, and especially if cooked with oil. Processing tomatoes in this way contributes to the separation of the lycopene from the carrier proteins.

This research suggests that it is particularly cooked tomatoes that may play a significant role in reducing a man’s risk for developing prostate cancer. It may be their lycopene content that is the active principle.

dvanced age, diabetes and CVD have all been identified as important risk factors in the COVID-19 pandemic.

“However, obesity also poses one of the highest individual risks for COVID-19 complications,” says a statement from the international organisation NCD Alliance.

The alliance is a diverse civil society network that unites 2,000 organisations in more than 170 countries. Established in 2017, it includes the World Health Organisation (WHO) the United Nations (UN), governments, special interest groups and experts.

It says studies from a number of countries have shown that people with obesity have a higher risk of hospital admission, admittance to intensive care, and need for invasive mechanical ventilation.

The risk is particularly notable amongst Asian populations.

While the highest risk of poor outcomes of COVID-19 is in older groups, a BMI >40 also appears to contribute to a higher mortality in patients under 50.

“These links are of particular concern with nearly 1 billion people worldwide affected by obesity and all countries off-track to meet WHO targets. The highest numbers and most rapid rises are seen in low- and middle- income countries, which are also particularly vulnerable to the impacts of COVID-19.

“As with other NCDs, we have seen a direct impact of COVID-19 on people living with obesity, as a result of curtailed access to services. The pandemic has also compounded existing issues with obesity treatment, including inconsistent care pathways, stigma and lack of health coverage, as well as wider infrastructure and equipment challenges within and outside of the health system.”

While much of the direct impact of the pandemic is on the health systems, the impact spreads much wider. Disrupted food systems, impacts of lockdown on behaviour and food choices, poverty, inequity, unemployment and opportunistic marketing by unhealthy commodity industries are just some of the trends we see which risk is increasing the double burden of malnutrition, the alliance claims.

“This is particularly concerning in countries which also experience high levels of poverty and fragile health systems. In Mexico, for instance, it is estimated that the expected reduction in GDP (6%) as a result of COVID-19 could increase the number of people who are poor and food insecure by 10 million.”

Water-only fast has benefits S

everal published reports document the benefits of medically supervised, water-only fasting on human health.

"Water-only fasting appears to promote our body’s self-healing capabilities, a phenomenon that has been reported throughout history,” says Dr Alan Goldhamer, founder of TrueNorth Health Center.

The Center is affiliated with TrueNorth Health Foundation, which is conducting research to better understand how water-only fasting promotes healing as well as its effects on the treatment of various types of diseases.

According to Dr Goldhamer, here are reasons to consider medically supervised, water-only fasting.

• It appears to promote regeneration and longevity.

• It may begin to restore health relatively quickly.

• Under medical supervision, there is a low risk of experiencing serious or long-term side effects.

• Disorders caused by chronic overconsumption seem to respond particularly well.

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Oil Free Carrot Cake INGREDIENTS 1 1/2 cups 1 cup 1/2 cup 1/2 cup 1/2 cup 2 tsp 1 tsp 1 1/2 cups 3.4 cups 1 tsp 3/4 tsp 2 tsp 1/2 tsp 1/2 tsp

Cashew Cream Cheese Icing INGREDIENTS

grated carrot crushed pineapple, undrained shredded coconut apple sauce walnuts vanilla essence apple cider vinegar whole wheat flour coconut sugar baking powder baking soda cinnamon nutmeg ginger

METHOD 1. Preheat oven 180°C 2. Line a round cake tin around 22cm diameter 3. Add all wet ingredients to a bowl (including he carrot) and mix well.

4. In a seperate bowl add all dry ingredients togther. mixing well, then add wet ingredients and gently stir until combined but don't over stir.

5. Pour batter into round tin and bake for around 28 mins (until the middle bounces back when you press it with your finger).

6. Allow to cool completely before icing.

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1/2 cups 1 1/2 tbsp 2 tsp 1/4 tsp 1/4 tsp

raw cashews (soak in boiling water for 30 mins) maple syrup lemon juice pure vanilla essence cinnamon

METHOD Drain cashews and add to a blender with all other ingredients.

Blend until smooth. Ice the carrot cake once cooled.

Oil Free Chocolate Cake INGREDIENTS 1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour 1 cup coconut sugar 1/2 cups dark baking cocoa 1 1/4 tsp baking soda 1 1/4 tsp baking powder 1/3 cup apple sauce 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar 3 tsp vanilla essence 1 1/2 cups water METHOD 1. Preheat oven to 180°C 2. Line a round cake tin around 22cm diameter 3. Mix together all dry ingredients into a large bowl then make a large well in the centre.

4. Add into the centre all the wet ingredient. Gently fold over the mixture until combined.

5. Bake in the centre of the oven for 40 mins or until a fork pierced into the centre comes our clean.

6. Remove from oven and let to cool for 10 minutes before moving onto a rack.

Forks over Knives Fudge Chocolate Frosting INGREDIENTS 1 cup boiling water 1/3 cup 100% cocoa powder 1 1/2 cups dried, pitted dates 1 tbsp brown rice syrup 1/2 tsp pure vanella essence METHOD 1. Put the boiling water and cocoa powder in a blender. Blend on high speed for about 30 seconds, or until the mixture is relatively smooth. Scrape down the sides of the blender. Be careful not to let the steam build up.

2. Add the dates, brown rice syrup to the blender. Blend until smooth, stopping occassionally to scrape down the sides. Add the vanilla and blend until combined.

3. Transfer the mixture into an air tight container. Let it chill completely, for at least 3 hrs until it is firm.

4. Spread the frosting over the chocolate cake and sprinkle with freeze dried raspberries.

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Health and wellness

by Stephanie Wynn I've been on a personal health and wellness journey for almost 30 years. Here I look at the bigger picture to good health and encourage you to take health into into your own hands. For more about what I do and the advisory services I offer, go to: www.movinghealthforward.nz

I

Evidenced based approach is key

n these fast-paced times of information overload and conflicting expert advice, it’s not easy to decide on the best way to be healthy. There are hundreds of diets; exercise and stress management programmes out there all claiming to be the best.

I’ve been on a personal and professional health and wellness journey for almost

three decades, and I know how confusing it can get. In truth, the basics of what works are fairly simple and can easily be adopted to get your health goals met.

There are several areas to healthy living that make up the whole picture.

While each area addresses a different aspect, they each affect the other, so it’s important to pay attention to them all.

For example, when you feel good mentally and emotionally, you will make better food choices and vice versa.

This is a holistic approach to health and the traditional approach in many cultures.

I advocate only evidenced-based practices; those that have shown to consistently work well. I also like to keep everything as simple as possible.

We are not designed to live in isolation

Yoga & Meditation B

oth yoga and meditation are very popular these days and offered almost everywhere. And, if you can’t find a local class or don’t want to join one yet, there are many classes online.

I do a mini sequence called the 5 rites of regeneration that originates with the Tibetans. It takes me about 10 minutes after which I do a few minutes of breath work and end with a few minutes on my back focusing on letting go of tension.

Then I stretch naturally, pop onto my side for a moment before getting up and carrying on with my day. A daily practice that helps in managing stress.

Massage has always been my top way to let go of tension and with the right therapist you can learn how to keep that tension from coming back. Another option is to go to classes with a partner or friend and exchange massages at home. Just

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holding someone’s feet for a few minutes can have a dramatic effect, find a friend and try it.

Not only does massage work directly on body tension it brings a powerful relaxation to the mind.

Relaxation techniques are another way to bring your body back to normal function. One option is to get comfortable listen to some soothing music.

Another idea is to go through the various parts of the body tensing and relaxing each part until you get the whole way through, this is best done laying down.

There are many really good prerecorded relaxation guides to buy online or download, listen to some clips first and see what you are drawn to. If you only have a few minutes, lie down on the floor and let your body settle, it will thank you for it!

While learning to be content alone is something I strongly encourage we are social creatures and definitely not designed to live in isolation, we need a balance of the two.

Being part of a group or community gives us that important sense of being included and validated. We need to feel wanted and useful and being part of a group of like-minded people.

Working together for a common good can really give us a sense of purpose.

Groups can include family, work, social, educational, sporting and spiritual.

Relish the time alone and find the best companions to spend time with that enhance your life and you theirs. Even those with a life partner would do well to add groups and individuals that are separate to the partnership.

You get to do different things, exchange and learn new things, which can bring a fresh perspective to the relationship.

If you have a loving and supportive family you are blessed as not everyone has, or has them nearby. Maybe you could include those who are more isolated and would love some time with a warm close group.

s - the bigger picture Good nutrition is your foundation

L

et’s start with nutrition. I believe nutrition to be the foundation of true health and supportive of all areas of wellness. It’s where I began, and if you want to take one step at a time, then this is the place to start. So then, why should you change your diet?

It’s common knowledge now that Western diets have led to a host of diseases that are almost unheard of in rural cultures, the ones that are devoid of supermarkets and fast food restaurants.

Also, it’s becoming clear that government recommendations for healthy eating guidelines are doing nothing to prevent and reverse the rise of the big three killers: cancer, heart disease and diabetes.

Added to that there has been an explosion of diet-related inflammatory and autoimmune conditions that are severely impacting the quality of life for many. Whole nations are getting fatter and sicker, and this is the first generation born whose life expectancy is predicted to be shorter than their parents!

Thankfully the future is looking much brighter. A growing number of doctors and other professionals are dedicating their lives to researching, trialling and

S

publishing evidence for a whole food plant-based (WFPB) way of eating. The news is starting to get out that we can prevent and reverse disease, and we can take back control of our own health.

A WFPB diet is a diet rich in fresh fruits and vegetables, beans and whole grains, plant milks, herbal teas and water plus an omega3 source such as chia or flaxseed.

There is no need to restrict intake or calorie count as you will fill up and feel satisfied without the need to overeat.

Dried fruits, nuts, seeds, coconut, soy products and wheat protein (meat substitutes) are allowed in smaller quantities as the higher fat content foods should be kept to around 10% of your total diet. This is a general rule and is adapted to those with different health issues to achieve the best results.

All oils, animal products and highly refined processed foods are to be eliminated. Salt should be removed or kept to a minimum. Eat foods as close to the original plant as possible, just as nature intended.

Those adopting this diet see changes very quickly. An increase in energy and reduction in pain levels generally come first. Weight loss, a drop in blood sugars

and cholesterol levels follow close behind if not at the same time. You feel lighter; exercising becomes easier and enjoyable.

Your eyes and skin glow and people will start telling you how well you look! You feel so good you want everyone to eat this way too!

You have nothing to lose and so much to gain by trying this way of eating for a month. Don’t be put off, as it’s never too late to begin. Remarkable disease reversal and life-changing stories are hitting the news daily. Check out some of my recommendations on the next page for great resources for getting you started and inspired.

A note on addictive substances such as tobacco, alcohol, drugs, sugar, fried and processed foods. It’s stressful for the body to have to constantly eliminate the toxins that accompany these substances. I’m not convinced that the odd coffee, alcoholic drink or sweet treat will impair overall health, but drugs and tobacco are highly carcinogenic and should absolutely be avoided.

If you are dealing with an addiction, please make it a priority to seek the support you need now for the sake of your future health and wellbeing.

Understanding your bodily response to external pressures or threats

tress - we all know the feeling but do we really know what it is? I have always found understanding how things work a huge help in learning to deal with them.

Stress is a bodily response to internal or external pressure or threat, real or perceived. You can feel stressed by thinking you are being ignored or being worried about going to the dentist.

Stress can be a longer-term low-grade reaction to something like money worries or a more immediate response to a situation arising like being shouted at.

We often get stressed when time appears to be running out, and we have a lot to do. The list of stressors is endless and is different for each of us. The body reacts by producing hormones, and at the same time, it shuts down non-lifethreatening processes like digestion

for action as a ‘flight or flight’ response Over an extended period, the body starts to suffer from an overproduction of hormones and a compromised digestive and repair system. Several health issues can develop. Highly stressed people are also known to be more likely to experience anxiety and depression, and no wonder if you are always in a constant state of being ‘ready for action’.

While some stress is positive and gets us motivated to do what we need to, we were never designed to be in an almost constant state of stress.

Originally, the stressor or fight or flight response was designed to keep us alert when going into new territory, fleeing from a wild animal or standing firm and defending our loved ones and ourselves.

We needed all those hormones back

then and used them when we took the appropriate action after which our body would quickly get back to normal functioning.

Nowadays we rarely get to process our stress responses in the same way so have to look at some alternatives.

I love a hot bath with Epsom salts. I get a muscle relaxation, a detox and a magnesium top up all in one. I head straight for bed and sleep like a baby!

If you don’t have a bath at home, ask to use a friends or find a hot pool. I’m a full-time traveller and don’t always have access to a bath but I make the most of one when I do.

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Aim to get moving every day A

s a lifelong avoider of exercise, I do struggle to keep active and find this aspect of self-care the hardest.

There is no doubt at all that regular movement is beneficial for both the mind and the body.

Just walking has a range of benefits, including being out in the fresh air and absorbing Vitamin D, stimulating your circulatory and digestive systems, and improving your mood.

As a bonus, you usually get to see other people and if you are lucky, some great views. Try to include an uphill walk or take the stairs where possible and pick up the pace. You can jog a little and then walk to recuperate to raise the heartbeat.

Start off at a pace and level of ability

that pushes you slightly and build up from there. One of my favourite things to do is pop on some upbeat music and dance around, often while doing the chores. How much and how often to exercise seems unclear, but I aim to get moving every day, indoors or out.

For those with little or no mobility, you can start by stretching while sitting or standing. Once the benefits of a WFPB diet kick in your energy levels improve and you won’t want to sit still any longer.

Those of you are already fit and love the gym or sports that’s great, if not get creative and build some movement of your own unique style into your everyday life.

Take a slow, deep breath It’s the first and most important thing to do when you recognise you are stressed. Take several deep breaths in through your nose and out through the mouth and relax your jaw.

Your body will respond immediately,

Good sleep essential to body repair S

leep is crucial in the management of stress and in maintaining good health.

It can be so frustrating if you don’t feel alert or able to concentrate and make decisions, a common effect from lack of sleep. When we sleep our body repairs itself so a chronic lack of sleep can lead to serious illness.

Isolate what may keep you from getting into a good routine or what may be interrupting your sleep and make the needed changes.

Having a bath or putting on a relaxation tape before bed may help. Take a nap, an excellent way to regenerate quickly!

A word about anger. It can be trickier

and often counter-productive to try and go from anger to calm without expressing some of it.

Anger is a very strong emotion, and sometimes a valid response to an incident.

Its not appropriate to vent but you may try simply saying ‘I feel angry about – whatever happened - and name it.

If you don’t feel able or want to do this I encourage you to move, walk, run, shout, clean a cupboard or the car…anything that helps you work with it to process it and help your body release it.

You can do the same with any other emotional responses that are overwhelming.

RESOURCES Movies: https://wholefoodliving.life/wfpb-movies/ Books: https://wholefoodliving.life/books/ Useful websites: https://nutritionfacts.org/ https://nutritionstudies.org/ https://www.forksoverknives.com The Five Rites of Rejuvenation: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Five_Tibetan_Rites Head to my webpage and download my Nutrition Guide for free https://www.movinghealthforward.nz

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and you will feel a calm returning. You can go further and learn some great breathing techniques.

I love to lie flat on the floor while doing breathing, so all my muscles can relax at the same time.

Blueberry crumble slice Super easy to make and rich in flavour. Bursts with blueberry goodness.

INGREDIENTS

METHOD

For the crust and crumble: 1.5 cups oat flour 1 cups rolled oats ½ cup banana (mashed) ¼ tsp baking soda ½ tsp ground cinnamon 1 tsp vanilla essence

1. Preheat oven to 180°C. Line a 8x8 inch slice tray with cooking paper.

2. In a large bowl mix the oat flour, rolled oats, baking soda and cinnamon together. Then stir in the mashed banana and vanilla essence.

3. Put 1 ¾ of the mix into the tray, evenly pressing the mix to make the base of the slice.

4. Heat a medium pot adding all the filling ingredients. Use a wooden spoon to press down and break up the blueberries, leave some chunks.

5. Bring to boil then reduce the heat and cook for 5 mins or until the mixture has thickened.

6. Pour the mix over the crust and spread evenly.

7. Add the remaining crumble to top of the filling as a crumble.

8. Bake for 30 mins.

9. Cool on a rack before transferring the slice to the fridge. Once chilled cut into around 16 slices.

For the filling: 2.5 cups frozen blueberries 3 tbsp pure maple syrup 1 tbsp cornflour or arrowroot starch zest from one lemon

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Fudgy No-Bake Brownies Recipe by Stephanie Wynn www.movinghealthforward.nz INGREDIENTS 1 cup 1/3 cup 1/2 cup 1/2 cup

walnuts dates, pitted almond butter unsweetened cocoa powder

METHOD 1. Place the walnuts and dates into a food processor and blend until finely ground.

2. Add almond butter and process until well mixed before adding the cocoa.

3. Transfer mix to a square baking pan lined with baking paper. Use your fingers to press the mix evenly into the pan.

4. Spinkle with crushed walnuts, pressing them into the mix slightly.

5. Cover and place into the fridge for at least one hour before cutting into squares.

Peanut Butter Oat No-Bake Bar Only takes three ingredients and so quick to put together. Give it a try.

INGREDIENTS 1 cup 1/4 cup 1 cup

smooth peanut butter (unsalted) pure maple syrup whole grain oats

METHOD 1. Put the peanut butter and maple syrup into the blender and blitz until combined.

2. Add in the whole grain oats and continue mixing, stopping occasionally to remove the mix from the sides of the bowl. Mix until combined.

3. Tranfer mixture to a square baking pan lined with baking paper and press mix evenly into the pan. Then for height I took the baking paper and folded half the mix over and pressed again.

4. Chill for 30 mins to an hour before cutting into bars.

Non-Dairy Calcium Rich Foods 30g of Almonds - 75 mg of calcium per serve

100 grms of Edamame Beans - 63 mg of calcium

10 Raspberries - 4.8 mg of calcium per serve

Kale -171 mg of calcium per serve

One cup of Brocoli - 51 mg of calcium per serve Med Oranges- 37 mg of calcium per serve

This is just a small selection of fruits and vegetables high in calcium. Good news is there is a lot of options on a plant-based diet to get your daily calcium requirements. It is found in green vegetables, tofu, beans, nuts & seeds, and many fruits & berries.

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Robyn Chuter

B

The sweet truth about bitter foods

ack in school, you probably learned that your tongue has receptors (‘taste buds’) for four distinctly different tastes: sweet, salty, sour, bitter.

More recently, researchers recognised a fifth taste receptor, which detects the umami, or savoury, flavour derived from glutamate and ribonucleotides. These compounds are found abundantly in mushrooms, yeasts and yeast extracts, certain vegetables, cured and fermented animal products – and most fascinatingly, in human breast milk.

Then there’s the even more recently discovered fat taste receptor (heads up: mixtures of salt and fat blunt fat taste sensitivity, causing people to overeat fat-rich foods, which explains why you can never eat just one potato chip) and the starch taste receptor, which makes potatoes, rice and bread delicious and satisfying.

Bitter tastes disliked Out of all the tastes that humans are able to register, bitterness is the least preferred. Food manufacturers know that adding sugar, salt, fat and umami (most inexpensively in the form of MSG) to their products is guaranteed to boost sales. The sour taste of lemon, lime and vinegar enhances enjoyment of the other tastes – think salt and vinegar chips, or lemon gelato, or salsa.

But on the whole, foods that taste bitter don’t sell well. Many compounds that are potentially toxic taste bitter, including certain salts, rancid fats and fermentation products. Alkaloids, a class of compounds produced by plants to defend themselves against predation by insects, fungi and animals, are also bitter.

The plant foods that our ancient ancestors ate were much higher in bitter principles than the foods we eat today. Since the advent of agriculture, one of the primary goals of farmers has been to breed down the level of bitterness in plants. The success of this selective breeding has in turn led to declining levels of acceptance of bitter foods among consumers; the less bitter tastes we are exposed to, the less we prefer them.

A good example of this selective breeding is lettuce, which originated as a wild plant with a bitter, milky sap, but was selectively bred by the ancient Romans in order to reduce its bitterness; modern lettuce has barely a trace of bitterness unless it goes to seed.

But while an aversion to excessive bitterness served our ancestors well by protecting from from being poisoned by overconsumption of potentially toxic alkaloids and other bitter principles, the modern-day underconsumption of bitter foods is threatening our health in a completely different way.

Many of the phytonutrients which are most beneficial to our health are bitter compounds, such as the indole-3-carbinol and sulforaphane found in broccoli, kale and other members of

the Brassica plant family, which have antioxidant and cancerpreventing properties. People who reject bitter tastes end up consuming less health-promoting foods as a consequence.

Even worse, those who avoid bitter tastes may end up craving more sweets, as the stimulation of bitter-sensing taste buds overrides our ability to sense sweetness.

Fascinatingly, bitter taste receptors are found not just on our tongues, but throughout the entire digestive tract, and in numerous other tissues including our airways, brain, fat cells, and in male testicles!

Obviously, we can’t ‘taste’ bitterness in our small intestines, lungs or nether regions, so what are these receptors doing there?

It turns out that when the bitter taste receptors throughout our gut are stimulated, they result in delayed emptying of the stomach (causing us to feel fuller for longer) and decreased food intake – obviously a boon for people who struggle to curb overeating.

Stimulation of bitter receptors inside pre-adipocytes (cells that develop into fat storage cells) inhibits them from developing into fully-fledged fat cells and decreases their ability to take up fat from the bloodstream for storage.

In the airways, bitterness stimulates immune system activity that protects us against infection, and relaxes muscle tone in the lower bronchial tree, which relieves asthma.

Assists sperm motility In the testes, bitter receptors seem to play a role in sperm chemotaxis and motility – that is, the ability of sperm to detect an egg and swim towards it.

The bitter truth is that chronic overeating, obesity, asthma and infertility – all of which have increased dramatically in recent decades – may all be united by a common thread: the lack of stimulation of our bitter-sensing taste receptors (both those in our mouths and those scattered throughout the rest of our bodies) by the modern sugar, salt and fat-saturated diet.

For years, I have been counselling clients to increase their intake of bitter foods, based on my personal and clinical experience that incorporating more rocket, watercress, dandelion greens and tea, unsweetened cacao and other bitterw foods decreases the preference for overly sweet foods.

Now, research on the many other benefits of incorporating bitter tastes into our diet has given me even more reasons to sing the sweet praises of bitter foods!

Are you struggling with sweet cravings and overeating?

Need dietary guidance that is personalised to your unique situation? Then visit Robyn at www.empowertotalhealth.com.au wholefoodliving.life | Winter, 2020

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Auckland central plant pod now underway Meet, greet and enjoy all you can eat.

Y

ou won't go hungry at an Auckland plant pod meeting, and there's plenty of opportunities to make new friends too. Look around the room, and you might even run into the odd movie maker and perhaps, an executive producer or two.

As this edition went to press, Auckland had just held its second plant pod meeting and while both nights featured lots of happy faces, Dr Mark Craig was positively beaming.

For him, getting the pod meeting going has been a long term plan and a frustrating one. The first meeting was canned due to Covid restrictions when New Zealand first went into level four lockdown. But all that seemed an age

away and people seemed genuinely relaxed now that social distancing rules were gone.

The meetings are being held on the last Saturday of the month in the Grey Lynn Community Centre. The first two pod meetings featured talks by Dr Craig, Grant Dixon, Dr Caitlin Randles and Shamez Kachwalla of High Carb Health. Of course, the other main attraction on both nights was the food, but that spoke for itself.

For Dr Craig, the first pod meetings were almost all he ever hoped they would be - relaxed, informal. A place where people can ask whatever question they want about food and how it affects their health.

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Take a break

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Healthy crossword

Across 1 very thin, lean (6) 3 alternative possibility (6) 8 cause of fatigue (6) 10 common farm animal (3) 11 hummus ingredient (8) 14 blood vessel system pg. 44 (14) 16 kitchen storage area (6) 17 sleep on it (3) 18 not private (6) 20 dull pains (5) 22 pea used in dhal (6) 24 chromosome's end piece pg41 (8) 27 money earned (4) 29 winds from the east (8) 30 disorder linked to insulin (8) 32 deep thought (10) 33 lent a hand (5)

Down 2 sweet potato (pg. 36) (6) 4 existing before (5) 5 child without parents (6) 6 exercise on a mat (4) 7 widespread epidemic (8) 9 follow the law (5) 11 chemical element Ca (pg.59) (7) 12 pleasing smell (5) 13 farm yield (4) 14 kidney-shaped nut (6) 15 food dressing (5)

19 21 23 24 25 26 28 31

earth, air, fire or water (7) culinary herb (4) high in social rank (5) large shrub (4) weight problem (7) Peter ........(pg.10) (8) Dr Michael ..... (pg.15) (6) ill-fated ship (7)

Go to link below for solutions Click or scan QR image for references. wholefoodliving.life/references-winter-2020/

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Recipe index

BREAKFAST

MAINS

SAUCES

Delicious French Toast..................................20 Chickpea Flour Crepes..................................21

Italian Meat balls..............................................15 Winter Bake.......................................................25 Lasagne................................................................26 Hearty vegetable casserole.........................32 Mushroom Stroganoff....................................33 Black Bean Stuffed Kumara.........................36 Vegan Pad Thai..................................................47

Creamy White Sauce.......................................26 Cashew Sour Cream........................................43 Vegan Aioli...........................................................43 Vegan Cheesy Sauce........................................43

LIGHT MEALS Kale & Red Pepper Bites................................24 Balsamic Roasted Mushroom......................33

SWEETS Oil Free Carrot Cake.......................................52 Oil Free Chocolate Cake................................53 Blueberry Crumble Slice................................54 Fudgy No-Bake Brownies..............................55 Peanut Butter Oat No-Bake Bar.................55

TIP: Chilli Bean Dip This is super easy, take a can of Watties Chilli Beans and blend in a mixer so that it is not totally smooth but has a dip consistency. Transfer to a pan or microwave to heat through.

That's it! A quick dip to dunk your corn chips in.

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WFPB's Four Food Groups Based on the guide developed by PCRM (Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine) in 1991

FRUIT

3 or more servings a day Full of vitamin C and beta carotene, fruit is also rich in fibre. You should include at least one serving of fruit per day. Fruits are full of flavour, make a welcome afternoon filler and are great as a night time desert. They're best eaten whole because your gut benefits from their soft fibre.

Serving sizes: 1 medium piece of fruit, 1/2 cup cooked fruit, 4 ounces juice.

WHOLE GRAINS 5 or more servings a day

The wholegrain list is large. Here is a sample: barley, freekeh, whole rye, brown rice, oats, wheat, buckwheat, bulgur, quinoa, whole wheat couscous, corn, millet. Build meals around hearty grain dishes. Theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re rich in essential fibre, complex carbohydrates, protein, B Vitamins and zinc. Great for breakfast.

Serving sizes: 1/2 cup hot cereal, 1/4 cup dry cereal, 1 slice bread

LEGUMES

2 or more servings a day Beans, peas and lentils are your key source for good fibre, protein, iron, calcium, zinc and B vitamins. In this group you can also include items such as chickpeas, baked and refined beans, soy milk, tempeh and vegetable protein.

Serving sizes: 1/2 cups cooked beans, 4 ounces tofu or tempeh, 8 ounces Soy Milk.

VEGETABLES

4 or more servings a day Vegetables are your essential nutrient injection. Dark green leafy vegetables such as broccoli, collards, kale, mustard and turnip greens, chicory or bok choy are all good sources of important nutrients. They provide vitamin C, beta-carotene, riboflavin, iron, calcium, fibre and more. Extra beta-carotene comes from dark yellow and orange vegetables such as carrot, squash, sweet potatoes and pumpkin. Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t be afraid to eat generous amounts. Load up your plate!

Serving sizes: 1 cup raw vegetables, 1/2 cup cooked vegetables

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"You must unite behind the science. You must take action. You must do the impossible because giving up can never ever be an option."

Greta Thunberg

www.wholefoodliving.life